Polish Navy selects Shield AI V-BAT drones for Baltic Sea surveillance

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In a further move to strengthen surveillance and control of its maritime areas, Poland’s Armament Agency has selected the V-BAT uncrewed system from US company Shield AI to equip the Polish Navy. Introducing these vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones will expand the naval force’s maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the Baltic Sea, a region that has become increasingly strategically significant in recent years.

Shield AI announced the decision on 23 June, confirming that it had signed a contract to provide the Polish Navy with a new shipborne capability for operation from surface vessels. According to the company, the systems will be deployed aboard a Polish naval unit to enhance commanders’ situational awareness and improve the early detection of potential threats.

A capability designed for contested environments

The V-BAT’s selection is no coincidence. Over recent years, the Baltic Sea has become one of Europe’s most sensitive security theatres, owing to a rise in incidents involving undersea energy and communications infrastructure, as well as increased military activity since the war in Ukraine began.

Against this backdrop, Shield AI emphasised that the V-BAT was developed to operate even in environments where GPS signals and communications links are degraded or entirely denied by electronic warfare systems. This characteristic is particularly important for Poland and other NATO countries, which increasingly regard the need to operate amid electromagnetic interference during a possible crisis scenario as likely.

“Operations in the Baltic Sea, where security threats to critical energy and communications infrastructure are becoming more frequent, demand dependable platforms and sensor systems in all weather and sea conditions. V-BAT delivers exactly that and will act as a force multiplier for Poland, the Baltic Sea countries and NATO,” said Ryan Tseng, Shield AI’s president, co-founder and chief strategy officer.

What capabilities does the V-BAT bring to the Polish Navy?

The V-BAT is a NATO Class I uncrewed aerial system combining VTOL capability with an enclosed-rotor, or ducted fan, configuration, removing the requirement for runways or complex recovery equipment. This design enables it to take off and land autonomously from ship decks, coastal locations or improvised deployment areas.

Its principal features include an endurance of more than 12 hours, allowing it to cover extensive maritime areas during persistent surveillance missions. It also uses a heavy-fuel engine compatible with standard military logistics, reducing sustainment requirements during extended operations.

In addition, systems of this type offer a lower-cost and less logistically complex solution than larger uncrewed systems, while retaining advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and target-acquisition capabilities.

The Baltic Sea drives a new generation of naval capabilities

The purchase forms part of a broader modernisation process within the Polish Armed Forces, which have acquired new frigates, air-defence systems, drones and maritime-surveillance capabilities in recent years to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.

Protecting undersea cables, gas pipelines, energy terminals and commercial shipping routes has become an increasingly important priority for the region’s navies. In this context, the future entry into service of shipborne V-BAT systems will provide a particularly valuable tool, extending vessels’ observation range without requiring crewed aircraft or platforms with higher operating costs.