GE Aerospace, Shield AI and Poland’s Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 (WZL-2) have signed a memorandum of understanding to assess F110 engine maintenance, repair and overhaul support in Poland for Shield AI’s X-BAT autonomous vertical-take-off-and-landing aircraft. The proposed capability would include the F110 and its axisymmetric vectoring exhaust nozzle, but the agreement does not confirm an engine order, facility opening, investment or aircraft procurement.
The parties will examine the facilities, equipment, workforce training and other requirements needed to establish local engine-support capacity at WZL-2, which is based in Bydgoszcz. GE Aerospace would provide F110 propulsion and support expertise, while Shield AI would contribute the X-BAT platform and its autonomous-flight technology.
The MOU follows a September letter of intent between Shield AI, state-owned Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and WZL-2 covering potential X-BAT design, production, delivery and sustainment activities in Poland. WZL-2 has identified the F110 as an area for expanded maintenance capability, although the parties have not disclosed workshare, maintenance volumes, customer commitments or a schedule.
GE Aerospace states that the F110 has accumulated more than 11 million flight hours over four decades of production and development. X-BAT engine light-off and integration testing of the thrust-vectoring nozzle have been completed, while flight testing is planned for later in 2026. Those milestones do not establish that the aircraft has completed operational vertical flight, and the September letter of intent does not constitute a confirmed Polish military order.