During US Vice President Vance’s visit to Armenia, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan announced on February 9, 2026 that Armenia had made a $11 million purchase of V-BAT surveillance drones from the US.
We present some facts about V-BAT.
1. Pashinyan’s and Vance’s statements
Nikol Pashinyan said in his statement on February 9, 2026:
Photo: Government of Armenia
“Armenia has acquired from the United States “V-BAT” unmanned aerial vehicles, the effectiveness of which has been proven through extensive use experience, and which will significantly contribute to the strengthening of our defense capabilities. I expressed hope that this transaction, implemented under the US Foreign Military Sales program, will serve as a basis for expanding our future cooperation”.
JD Vance said in his statement on February 9, 2026:
Photo: Government of Armenia
“I also was very happy with the Prime Minister just a couple minutes ago to see some of the new drone technology that we will be selling to Armenia. Yes, President Trump knows very well, the very best way to ensure you have peace is to establish real deterrence, and the best way to establish real deterrence is with the best military technology in the world and the United States has that. And for the first time we are announcing a major sale of military technology, 11 million dollars in surveillance and drone technology to the Armenians and to our good friend Mr. Prime Minister. He is going to use that to secure his country and to make sure that the peace we are creating sticks. That means for the United States more jobs and more investment in our own defense technology sector”.
2. MQ-35A aka V-BAT
The V-BAT (officially designated MQ-35A by the US military) is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system developed by Shield AI, an American defense technology company headquartered in San Diego, California. Originally created by Martin UAV, a Texas-based aerospace manufacturer, the V-BAT was acquired by Shield AI as part of the company’s mission to build autonomous systems for military applications.
Photo: Government of Armenia
V-BAT uses a single ducted fan propulsion system that allows it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter, then transition seamlessly to fixed-wing horizontal flight for long-range missions. This “tail-sitter” configuration enables the drone to operate from extremely confined spaces - requiring a landing zone of just 4.6 meters by 4.6 meters - making it ideal for deployment from ships, urban rooftops, or austere environments where traditional runways are unavailable.
3. Hivemind AI
Hivemind is Shield AI’s proprietary autonomy software. This AI-powered system serves as an “electronic pilot” that enables the drone to operate autonomously in GPS-denied and communications-jammed environments - precisely the conditions that render most conventional drones ineffective.
Hivemind incorporates visual odometry navigation capabilities, allowing the V-BAT to determine its position and navigate using onboard cameras and sensors rather than relying on external GPS signals. This is particularly critical in modern combat zones where adversaries routinely deploy electronic warfare systems to jam or spoof GPS signals.
4. “Rich experience of use”
The V-BAT’s “rich experience of use” that Prime Minister Pashinyan referenced stems primarily from its deployment in Ukraine, where it has undergone extensive testing and operational missions alongside Ukrainian forces.
According to Shield AI, the company’s Kyiv-based operations team has completed more than 130 V-BAT sorties in Ukraine as of April 2025.
Ukrainian military research institute reports confirm that V-BATs operated effectively even when flying close to Ukrainian jamming systems designed to counter Russian drones.
In one notable combat operation, V-BATs identified a Russian missile storage site 100 kilometers behind enemy lines in the occupied Kherson region. The targeting data was relayed to Ukrainian forces, enabling a successful HIMARS strike that destroyed the stockpile. In another operation in August 2024, V-BATs located Russian surface-to-air missile batteries and provided targeting coordinates for artillery strikes.
5. V-BAT at foreign markets
In January 2026, the Indian Army procured V-BAT drones through an emergency acquisition valued at approximately $35 million. A $90 million joint venture with JSW Defense will establish V-BAT manufacturing in India.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force selected the V-BAT for operations from its warships in January 2025, with a contract valued at approximately $25 million.
In May 2025 the Hellenic Armed Forces have officially integrated their first V-BAT unmanned aerial systems.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence acquired twelve V-BAT systems in July 2025 for the Royal Netherlands Navy and Marine Corps.
The EU’s border security agency Frontex began employing V-BATs for border surveillance in January 2025.
6. The price
Shield AI's President Brandon Tseng stated that the V-BAT's price point is in the "mid-six-figure range" - meaning approximately $400,000 to $600,000 per unit.
For context with Armenia's $11 million purchase, if we assume a mid-range unit cost of around $500,000, that would suggest Armenia may be acquiring roughly 15-20 drones, though the exact number wasn't specified in the announcement, and the total likely includes training, support equipment, spare parts, and services beyond just the aircraft themselves.
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