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Poland Signs $16 Million Deal for Shield AI V‑BAT Naval Drones

The purchase aims to put compact, long‑endurance VTOL UAVs on Polish warships to raise surveillance of undersea cables and contested Baltic waters before the end of 2026.

Shield AI picture of a V-BAT taking off from a vessel.
Image

Overview

  • Poland’s Armament Agency signed a contract with Shield AI on June 23 to buy one V‑BAT system set and several airframes in a deal reported at about $16 million.
  • The V‑BATs will be installed and operated from an unspecified class of Polish Navy vessel, with initial deliveries and shipboard integration planned by the end of 2026.
  • Shield AI describes V‑BAT as a NATO Class I, ducted‑fan VTOL UAS with a heavy‑fuel engine and more than 12 hours of endurance that can launch and recover from ship decks without additional gear.
  • The company and Polish officials say the drones’ AI autonomy and resilient design let them operate when GPS or datalinks are degraded, which Poland cites as vital given rising hybrid threats to Baltic energy and communications infrastructure.
  • The purchase makes Poland one of the first European NATO naval operators of V‑BAT and could speed regional maritime ISR cooperation while giving sailors a persistent, lower‑logistics sensor to spot sabotage, intrusions, and surface activity.