Washington: The US Navy is set to expand its investments in drones, focusing on the development of unmanned, runway-independent maritime strike capabilities. The Navy has announced a collaborative investment of $50 million involving its Rapid Capabilities Office, PAE Aviation, and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) centered around Shield AI’s X-BAT aircraft.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, this funding is part of the Runway-Independent Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program, initiated by the DIU and the US Navy in February. The goal of the program is to develop an attack drone that can operate from surface warships without the need for flight platforms, catapults, or tethered landing systems typically required by conventional carrier-based aircraft.

The US Navy currently operates 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which are capable of landing helicopters but lack the capability to launch fixed-wing attack drones. The RIMES program aims to bridge this operational gap and enhance the Navy’s maritime strike capabilities.

This new investment builds on existing risk mitigation initiatives spearheaded by PAE Aviation’s Rapid Capabilities Office in partnership with Shield AI. The X-BAT, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) jet aircraft, was first revealed by Shield AI in October 2025. The aircraft boasts a range of over 3,700 kilometers with a full payload, a service ceiling exceeding 15,240 meters, and a wingspan of approximately 11.9 meters.