RTX and Shield AI have forged a partnership that will integrate two types of Shield AI’s advanced software into selected RTX defense platforms.
The collaboration will bring Shield AI’s “Hivemind” artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy stack to an undisclosed “operational weapon,” which the companies say will be the first fielded system powered by Networked Collaborative Autonomy. The companies will fund this project without government investment.
In addition, Shield AI’s ViDAR (Visual Detection and Ranging) AI-powered sensor payload will be integrated to boost RTX’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System’s turreted electro-optical and infrared sensor capabilities against maritime and aerial drone threats.
“AI and autonomy continue to enhance the performance of our products,” said RTX Chairman and CEO Chris Calio, as the partnership aligns with the US Department of Defense’s broader push to integrate autonomy into existing weapon systems via rapid, software-based upgrades.
Meanwhile, Shield AI CEO Gary Steele noted, “This collaboration reflects how the defense ecosystem is evolving — bringing the best of autonomy and hardware to bear on national security challenges.”
Hivemind
Hivemind is a modular and mission-agnostic AI and autonomy stack designed for unmanned systems across air, land, and sea.
It enables “human-machine teaming,” where humans set objectives and the AI pilot executes them autonomously without constant radio contact that can be jammed or intercepted.
Hivemind has already been tested on platforms like the V-BAT drone, General Atomics’ MQ-20 Avenger, and Lockheed Martin’s VISTA X-62A tactical aircraft, according to Breaking Defense.
