U.S. V-BAT UAV Will Be Armed With South Korea’s LIG Nex1 Guided Missile.

Shield AI confirmed on January 22, 2026, at the UMEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi that its V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing UAV will be armed with South Korea’s L-MDM laser-guided munition through a partnership with LIG Nex1. The move signals a broader shift in how medium tactical drones are being used, expanding beyond surveillance into precision strike roles from ships and austere locations.

U.S. autonomous systems company Shield AI has formally confirmed that its V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicle will be equipped with South Korean guided missile weapons, marking a notable evolution in the platform’s operational role. Speaking during the UMEX 2026 international defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, company officials said the integration of the L-MDM laser-guided munition follows an agreement signed with South Korean defense firm LIG Nex1, positioning the V-BAT for precision strike missions in maritime and expeditionary environments where runway-independent operations are critical.
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A V-BAT unmanned aerial system touches down during an urban operations training event at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona on November 8 2025.(Picture source: US DoD)

The decision reflects a broader trend among medium tactical unmanned aerial systems toward organic strike capability, especially for operations conducted in contested or infrastructure-poor environments. Shield AI positions the V-BAT as a system optimized for high autonomy and survivability in electronic warfare conditions, and the addition of a guided missile expands its role beyond reconnaissance and target designation into direct engagement of time-sensitive targets.

The L-MDM, or Laser guided Missile for Drones, is developed by South Korean defense company LIG Nex1 as a lightweight precision munition compatible with a range of unmanned aerial vehicle classes. While full performance figures remain undisclosed, the missile relies on semi active laser guidance, enabling engagement of both fixed and moving ground targets designated either by the launch platform or an external laser source. This guidance method allows high accuracy with limited collateral effects, an attribute increasingly sought in urban and littoral operating environments. The missile is explicitly marketed as modular, with simplified mechanical and digital interfaces intended to reduce integration timelines across different UAV architectures, including multirotor and fixed-wing designs.

The V-BAT platform offers a suitable host for such a weapon. Developed by Shield AI in cooperation with Martin UAV, the system combines a ducted fan vertical lift configuration with fixed wing cruise flight, allowing operations from confined areas such as ship decks, forest clearings, or improvised forward sites. The aircraft typically features a wingspan of roughly 3.8 meters, a maximum takeoff weight in the 70 to 75 kilogram range, and a payload capacity of up to 18 kilograms, depending on variant and fuel load. Endurance exceeds 12 hours in surveillance configurations, with a practical operating ceiling around 6,000 meters.

Propulsion is provided by a heavy fuel engine compatible with JP-5 and JP-8, a detail of operational relevance for naval and expeditionary forces seeking logistics commonality. The V-BAT supports a range of payloads, including electro-optical and infrared sensor turrets, thermal imagers, laser rangefinders, and target designators, all of which are prerequisites for effective employment of laser-guided munitions. Data links are designed to function under degraded GPS and communications conditions, relying in part on onboard autonomy.

A defining feature of the system remains Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy architecture. This software enables mission execution with limited operator input, including navigation, sensor management, and recovery in environments subject to jamming or intermittent connectivity. In strike scenarios, such autonomy may reduce exposure time over defended areas, allowing the aircraft to prosecute targets rapidly once designation is achieved, then withdraw without continuous human control.

From a tactical perspective, the combination of V-BAT and L-MDM creates a lightweight precision strike option for units operating without access to conventional close air support. The missile’s laser guidance supports engagement ranges consistent with line of sight sensor employment, favoring deliberate strikes against vehicles, firing positions, or small hardened targets. Constraints remain, notably dependence on laser designation and weather conditions that affect optical tracking, yet the system offers a degree of responsiveness difficult to match with larger unmanned combat aerial vehicles. For naval forces, particularly those operating small surface combatants or auxiliaries, an armed VTOL UAV provides organic reach against asymmetric threats without deck modifications.

Operational experience also shapes the relevance of this integration. The V-BAT is already deployed in Ukraine, where it is used primarily for reconnaissance and surveillance in a dense electronic warfare environment. While details of weaponized employment are not disclosed, the conflict underscores the value of systems capable of operating from dispersed sites while delivering precision effects with minimal logistical footprint.

The agreement highlights growing defense industrial linkages between the United States and the Republic of Korea in the unmanned systems domain. For Seoul, exporting a drone-specific guided missile aligns with its ambition to expand its presence in the global precision munitions market. For Washington and its partners, integrating non US weapons onto American platforms reflects a pragmatic approach to capability development driven by speed and operational need rather than strict national sourcing. More broadly, the spread of armed tactical UAVs equipped with precision-guided missiles continues to lower the threshold for localized strike capabilities, reshaping force posture calculations for both state and non-state actors across multiple regions.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.