Shield AI has raised $500 million in a Series F funding round, raising $200 million in equity and $100 million in new equity. The company aims to develop autonomous aircraft systems.

Advances in AI and compute power have enabled the development of software-defined strategic deterrents, such as AI pilots, which are becoming a significant paradigm shift in aerospace and defense. Venture debt can be a useful capital injection for late-stage companies, allowing them to reach profitability or exit.

San Diego-based company V-BAT Teams has launched a software product that enables autonomous and coordinated mission execution using Hivemind drones. President Brandon Tseng emphasized the importance of AI-piloted systems in the US military’s deterrence strategy.

The DoD must shift its focus from past paradigms to game-changing technological assets, adopting AI pilots swiftly to win in new warfare types.