Pentagon taps Shield AI for low-cost missile program
AI Analysis
The Pentagon is contracting Shield AI to integrate its Hivemind autonomy software with low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack Systems (LUCAS) drones, driven by the need to counter Iranian drone tactics. This initiative aims to field affordable, AI-powered drones capable of operating in swarms with minimal human intervention. The program leverages lessons learned from the use of Shield AI’s software on one-way attack drones in Ukraine.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. government is partnering with Shield AI to power LUCAS drones with the Hivemind AI pilot software.
- LUCAS drones, manufactured by SpektreWorks, are designed as a low-cost ($35,000) counter-drone solution, mirroring Iranian Shahed drone capabilities.
- Hivemind enables autonomous swarm coordination and decision-making without human intervention.
- Shield AI’s technology is already deployed on one-way attack drones in Ukraine and is being tested with Anduril drones.
- The program is a direct response to the threat posed by Iranian drones and the need to reduce reliance on expensive legacy systems.
Why It Matters
This procurement signals a shift towards prioritizing quantity and affordability in drone warfare, acknowledging the vulnerability of high-value assets to low-cost drone swarms. The adoption of AI-powered autonomy is crucial for effectively managing and coordinating these swarms in contested environments. Successful deployment of LUCAS could accelerate the replacement of legacy systems with more cost-effective, AI-driven alternatives.
Pentagon taps Shield AI for low-cost missile program
Key Points
- The U.S. government is using Shield A's Hivemind software to power more affordable military drones.
- The war in Iran is accelerating the need for lower-cost weapons as Iranian drones wreak havoc on expensive legacy weapons, but few systems have been deployed at scale.
- Shield's AI pilot software is currently in use on one-way attack drones in Ukraine.
The Shield AI website arranged on a laptop computer in New York, US, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The U.S. government is partnering with defense tech startup Shield AI as it seeks more affordable drones to combat soaring materials costs amid the war with Iran.
The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering on Tuesday said it will integrate Shield AI's autonomous Hivemind software to power low-cost uncrewed combat attack systems, or LUCAS drones.
Shield said the artificial intelligence software will allow the military to coordinate and adapt swarms of LUCAS drones in a rapidly evolving battlefield environment. The technology also allows platforms to operate, adjust and make decisions without human intervention.
"It's better to the American taxpayer at the end of the day, because it's cheaper to destroy a target, but it's also keeping our war fighters safer," Brandon Tseng, co-founder and president of Shield, said in an interview with CNBC. "They actually have the tools that they need to go and affect the battlefield."
Shield and the Pentagon did not disclose the financials of the deal.
The U.S. government is embracing new technology in the war against Iran, as the Middle East nation's low-cost Shahed drones destroy expensive military systems and reshape the modern battlefield. Defense tech companies like Shield AI are offering solutions, but their tools haven't been deployed at scale.
LUCAS is one of the major exceptions, and the government is in the market to buy more after a successful run in Iran.
The $35,000 drone, made by Arizona-based SpektreWorks, is a copycat version of the Iranian drones that have wreaked havoc on data centers, embassies and airports.
Tseng expects cheaper military systems like LUCAS, powered by AI, to eventually overtake legacy systems in the military's arsenal, although that transition could take well over a decade.
Hivemind is Shield's flagship autonomy platform, which acts as an AI pilot for unmanned systems. Its customers include the U.S. government, defense tech contractors and the Indian Army. The company has also integrated the AI pilot on one-way attack drones in Ukraine and completed its first flight test on one of Anduril's combat drones in February.
"It's really about doing everything that we have done in Ukraine onto an American-made platform that is going to be used in volumes," said Tseng.
The market for defense tech is skyrocketing as President Donald Trump embarks on his ambitious military reindustrialization pl