'Revolutionary' 36-year old jet engine designed for F-16 set to power world's first AI-piloted VTOL fighter jet

Date:
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 22:05:00 +0000

Description:
Shield AIs unmanned vertical takeoff craft the X-BAT is employing
axisymmetric vectoring, using a a jet engine first tested in the 1990s.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The AVEN thrust-vectoring
nozzle has been added to the X-BAT AI-piloted fighter with vertical take-off capabilities Thrust-vectoring allows a planes exhaust to be redirected, instead of relying purely on manipulating airflow across the wings for movement The engine was first trialed on an F-16 fighter in the 1990s Shield AI has revealed the X-BAT AI-piloted fighter jet relies on a jet engine variation first developed over 35 years ago and tested on a General Dynamics F-16 in the 1990s.

The AVEN Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle essentially replicates the actions of a wing, but instead of manipulating airflow across the airfoil, it directs the exhaust, in a process labeled thrust-vectoring. Developed for the F-16 as part of a dedicated GE Aerospace program investigating Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring (MATV), the nozzle was proved to work. The technology has recently been revived thanks to GE Aerospace and Shield AI, with the AVEN paired with an F110-GE-129E engine. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: X-BAT is on the way. - YouTube Watch On The VTOL X-BAT needs AVEN Using the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle, the X-BAT is given flight capabilities that would prove demanding for humans to repeatedly endure. It enables hovering, but also superhuman reaction speeds, and removes the risk
of G-force induced blackouts. Without pilot fatigue, the X-BAT can commit to extreme maneuvers in aerial combat.

Designed as a Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, the X-BAT can be deployed in areas with little or no runway. The Axisymmetric Vectoring
Exhaust Nozzle is a key part of this, providing the necessary thrust for the X-BAT to take off. As the craft launches more like a rocket than a standard jet fighter, the AVEN and the F110-GE-129E engine appear to ensure a steady detachment from the launch dock as the X-BAT heads skyward. You may like US Air Force says the F-47 'will fly in this administration' China says new AI missile system can track US F-35s with 90% accuracy USAF's Autonomous AI fighter drone just fired a 'real' AMRAAM air-to-air missile in a world first

Its a setup that might resemble something out of a 1950s sci-fi comic, but in reality can only work successfully without a human pilot.

AVEN isnt unique to the X-BAT. While the GE Aerospace project with the F-16 proved the technology worked, it was pursued elsewhere, most notably with the Russian Sukhoi Su-27SM revision of 2002. Earlier craft, like the Harrier variants, use 2D thrust vectoring where thrust is directed horizontally or vertically via exhausts on either side of the aircraft. Indeed, the notion of thrust vectoring dates back to the V-2 rocket, the long-rang rocket used by Nazi Germany in the final months of World War Two. Are you a pro? Subscribe
to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Modernising the AVEN Shield AI and GE Aerospace havent simply stuck to the original AVEN hardware and attached it to the F110-GE-129E engine. The nozzle has been re-engineered, with modern materials and production techniques. Inevitably, it has also been adapted to work with 21st century guidance systems, and the AI piloting and control systems are also accommodated.

First test flights of the X-BAT are expected to take place in Kansas by late 2026, ahead of a planned 2028 operational validation and full production. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/revolutionary-36-year-old-jet-engine-designed-fo r-f-16-set-to-power-worlds-first-ai-piloted-vtol-fighter-jet


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