Tail-sitter unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are being fielded for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and air defense, but hold significant untapped potential for distributed logistics and organic precision strike, crucial for expeditionary advanced base operations (EABO). Shield AI’s X-BAT, an AI-piloted VTOL fighter jet comparable to an F-16, is expected to begin flight testing this year, while Anduril’s Roadrunner has been operationally deployed for Combat Evaluation since January 2024.
The Navy is acquiring Roadrunner for ship-based counter-drone and cruise missile defense, and V-BAT is in service with the Navy, Coast Guard, Army, and Marine Corps, seeing combat use in Ukraine. These UAS combine fixed-wing speed and endurance with vertical launch/landing flexibility, overcoming historical manned tail-sitter challenges with modern flight control systems. They offer faster, longer-range resupply than quadrotors for dispersed EAB forces and provide immediate, reusable precision-strike capabilities, complementing loitering munitions. The Marine Corps should expeditiously field these Group 3 UAS for logistics and strike/ISR roles.
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