Shield AI Chooses Washington for X-BAT Autonomous Aircraft Manufacturing, Plans 4,000 Greater Seattle Jobs by 2030

Shield AI has chosen Washington state as the production home for X-BAT, its next-generation AI-piloted vertical takeoff and landing fighter aircraft, marking a major advanced manufacturing investment in Greater Seattle and a significant win for Washington’s aerospace economy.

The San Diego-based defense technology company has signed a lease for a new manufacturing and engineering facility called X-Forge 3 in Des Moines, Washington, the primary production home for X-BAT. Shield AI plans to begin X-BAT production in 2029 and reach full production rates in the early 2030s.

Shield AI expects to employ approximately 4,000 people in the Greater Seattle region by the early 2030s, according to GeekWire. The company’s economic impact analysis projects the X-BAT program will support approximately 8,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region by the early 2030s, growing to approximately 27,000 jobs by 2046. The program is projected to add approximately $73 billion to the regional economy through 2046. Shield AI

Company	Shield AI
Location	Des Moines, Washington
Company employment	~ 4,000 Greater Seattle jobs by the early 2030s
Initial facility	~ 420,000 SF Des Moines Creek West
Additional expansion	~ 1 million SF of manufacturing space under evaluation
Regional impact	~ 8,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs by the early 2030s; ~ 27,000 by 2046
Projected economic impact	~ $73 billion through 2046
Sector	Aerospace / Defense Technology / Advanced Manufacturing

A Major Capital Investment in Des Moines

Shield AI selected Des Moines Creek Business Park West at 1800 S. 216th Street in Des Moines as the production home for X-BAT. The property is owned by the Port of Seattle and is being developed by regional industrial powerhouse builder Panattoni Development Company through a long-term ground lease. The approximately 420,000-square-foot industrial facility offers immediate access to I-5 and is located near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The Des Moines facility, named by the company “X-Forge 3″ will bring together engineering and advanced manufacturing for X-BAT. Shield AI plans to begin production in 2029 and reach full-rate production in the early 2030s. The company expects to employ approximately 4,000 people in the Greater Seattle region by the early 2030s.

Shield AI’s announced plans extend beyond the initial Des Moines facility. The company is evaluating an additional 1 million square feet of manufacturing space in the Seattle region as X-BAT production scales.

A Coordinated Regional Effort

Greater Seattle Partners was proud to work alongside the Washington State Department of Commerce, City of Des Moines, King County, Port of Seattle, Panattoni Development Company, and other regional partners to help coordinate the region and create as seamless a landing as possible for this project.

GSP began working with the site selection team in early August, before Washington had been selected. Over the following weeks, GSP helped connect the site selector with key state, county and local partners; facilitated introductions and information exchange; and convened regional stakeholders around the project’s site, infrastructure, incentives and implementation needs.

“Our role at Greater Seattle Partners is to make it easier for companies to choose and invest in our region. For this project, that meant bringing the right partners to the table, connecting the site selection team with state, county and local leaders, and helping them navigate everything from incentives and permitting the resources needed to move quickly. We were proud to work alongside the Washington State Department of Commerce, the City of Des Moines, King County, the Port of Seattle and our other partners to create as seamless a landing as possible for Shield AI. This is regional economic development at its best, and we are excited to welcome Shield AI and thousands of new jobs to Greater Seattle.” Shannon Braddock, President & CEO, Greater Seattle Partners.

“Washington state has once again proven that it is the premier global leader for innovation,” said Washington State Department of Commerce Interim Director Sarah Clifthorne. “Our world-class talent and robust manufacturing ecosystem continue to draw pioneering companies like Shield AI to our region. We look forward to the thousands of high-quality jobs it will create for the Greater Seattle community.”

“Our region has a long history of innovation in aerospace and national security, and the Port of Seattle’s logistics and warehousing facilities are vital infrastructure for those industries. The Des Moines Creek – West property, developed in collaboration with Panattoni with close proximity to rail, road and air transport, proved to be an excellent location for ShieldAI. Their presence will bring hundreds of family-wage jobs to South King County and bolster our cutting-edge capabilities in the Pacific Northwest, which will attract more advanced manufacturing firms to the region.” Ryan Calkins, Port of Seattle Commission President.

Washington’s Aerospace and Technology Workforce Drives the Decision

Shield AI said it evaluated multiple regions before choosing Washington, pointing to the state’s concentration of aerospace expertise as a major factor. King County alone has more than 45,000 aerospace workers across more than 400 companies, while Washington’s aerospace supplier network includes more than 1,500 firms.

The company also cited Greater Seattle’s combination of aerospace, software, artificial intelligence, materials science and advanced manufacturing talent. Shield AI plans to collocate engineering and production in Des Moines, bringing together the technical and manufacturing capabilities required to develop and produce the X-BAT.

X-BAT is a long-range, AI-piloted aircraft designed to take off and land vertically and operate without conventional runways. It is powered by Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software and GE Aerospace’s F110 engine. The aircraft also has a Greater Seattle design connection: Seattle-based Teague, the century-old design firm with a long history in aviation and aerospace, worked with Shield AI to design and build the full-scale X-BAT mockup. Shield AI says flight testing will begin in 2026, with Washington serving as the aircraft’s production home and Newton, Kansas, serving as its flight test, acceptance and sustainment location.

For Greater Seattle the investment adds a new generation of autonomous aircraft manufacturing to a region with over a century of aerospace innovation while creating opportunities across engineering, AI, advanced manufacturing and the regional aerospace supply chain.

Greater Seattle Partners congratulates the City of Des Moines and our state and regional partners on this significant economic development win. We are excited to welcome Shield AI, new investment and thousands of jobs to the innovative Pacific Northwest.