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A new facility to build unmanned fighter jets is coming to Des Moines and could bring in more than $300 million in direct investment to the city and hundreds of high-paying jobs.
The city and San Diego-based Shield AI each announced Sept. 30 in press releases that the aerospace company had signed a lease in the Des Moines Creek 2 light industrial park at 1800 S. 216th St., on the north side of the street. The property, which sits just south of Sea-Tac Airport, is owned by the Port of Seattle. California-based Panattoni, which has an office in Seattle, is the developer of the 420,000 square-foot facility.
Known as the X-BAT, the AI-piloted fighter jet is designed to take off and land vertically, according to Shield AI. While production will be in Des Moines, the flight test and home for the aircraft will be at the Newton City-County Airport in Kansas, according to the company.
Shield AI has signed its lease and is building the site out now, according to the company. Hiring for the program has shifted to the region and is underway. Des Moines is the company’s first Puget Sound site, and Shield AI expects its footprint in the region to grow as production rates climb. King County has more than 45,000 aerospace workers at more than 400 companies, and Washington’s supplier base runs past 1,500 firms. Shield AI said it evaluated several regions and chose Washington for that workforce.
“Puget Sound has been producing aircraft at rate for 70 years and has the engineers, technicians and suppliers that it takes,” said Armor Harris, senior vice president of aircraft at Shield AI. “X-BAT will be built in Washington and fly in Kansas before it goes to a customer, and Kansas will keep this fleet in the air for decades.”
X-BAT is planned to begin production in 2029 and reach full rate in the early 2030s, according to Shield AI. An economic analysis of the program estimates what each region gains if it runs as planned, and the employment projections reflect the program at rate. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region, it supports about 8,000 jobs in the early 2030s and about 27,000 by 2046, adding roughly $73 billion. The counts include people employed by Shield AI, people at suppliers and the jobs that local spending by both groups sustains.
Local and state political leaders were excited about the announcement.
“Des Moines is known for its historic charm, beautiful marina, and stunning Puget Sound setting,” Des Moines Mayor Yoshiko Grace Matsui said. “But we are also a community of builders who helped build the world’s most innovative aerospace economy. I am thrilled to welcome the Shield AI team and their families to our City.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, who on Sept. 28 announced a new 23-member Governor’s Space Council to help boost the aerospace industry in the state, delighted in the news.
“Washington has always been a place where big ideas take flight,” Ferguson said. “Our state brings together a world-leading aerospace industry, cutting-edge technology, and one of the most talented workforces anywhere in the world. Shield AI’s decision to build its new X-BAT manufacturing facility here is another sign that the future of aerospace is being built in Washington. We welcome Shield AI and the thousands of good-paying jobs this investment will bring.”
Congressman Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, whose 9th Congressional District includes much of South King County, was thrilled as well.
“King County continues to grow as a center for innovation and economic opportunity, and I look forward to welcoming Shield AI’s new X-BAT manufacturing facility in Des Moines,” Smith said. “This hub will create high-quality jobs, strengthen Puget Sound’s expanding technology and aerospace sectors, and further diversify our local economy. Reimagining aviation will have a rightful home here in Washington’s Ninth District.”
Concerns raised
Not everyone, including some residents and leaders in Des Moines, were not as thrilled with the news about the jet fighter manufacturing facility.
Des Moines City Councilmember Pierre Blosse posted Oct. 1 on Facebook that the community had raised a lot of questions after the announcement.
Blosse described the X-BAT as a large unmanned jet, roughly the size of an F-16, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, with a long range and the ability to carry a variety of sensors and weapons and that is designed to fly autonomously using Shield AI’s artificial intelligence software.
Blosse said the City Council only heard about the project in the last week and there have been no council votes or discussion about bringing Shield AI to Des Moines.
“The building owner and Shield AI negotiated their lease directly,” Blosse said. “The City is not a party to that lease, and does not have the authority to veto a lease between a private company and a private property owner if both parties comply with zoning and land use regulations.”
He said the city is not providing Shield AI with financial incentives.
“No City tax breaks, fee waivers, or financial assistance have been offered or provided,” Blosse said.
The councilmember offered his personal perspective about the project, which he emphasized is his opinion and may or may not reflect the views of the City of Des Moines or the City Council.
“I do have concerns about what will be manufactured there,” Blosse said. “I’m uneasy about weapons that may ultimately be used to kill people, and particularly about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in autonomous weapons systems.
“There are important questions about how much control should ever be delegated to AI when lethal force is involved. I believe meaningful human oversight and strong safeguards are essential, and I hope Shield AI can clearly explain to our community what safeguards are built into its technology and how human control over the use of lethal force is maintained.”
The city of Des Moines played down the fact that Shield AI will make fighter jets in its initial announcement and emphasized the benefits of military contracts.
“Shield AI produces aircraft for military contracts, making its operations less vulnerable to economic swings than commercial aircraft manufacturers,” according to the statement.
The city posted additional information on its website Oct. 1 following what it said were “significant concern from residents since this was announced.”
The information included a description of X-Bat.
“X-BAT, the aircraft to be built in Des Moines, is an uncrewed fighter aircraft still in development,” according to the city statement.
X-BAT details
Shield AI co-founder and president Brandon Tseng, a former Navy SEAL, introduced the X-BAT program at an October 2025 event in Washington, D.C., according to geekwire.com. The event included military leaders, elected officials and defense industry partners.
According to the report, Tseng called X-BAT a “transformative, runway-independent aircraft” and noted that “airpower without runways is the holy grail of deterrence.”
The U.S. Navy backed the program last month with an initial $50 million development contract, envisioning the autonomous fighter jets operating directly from destroyers, amphibious assault ships and converted cargo vessels to project long-range airpower without relying on traditional aircraft carriers, according to geekwire.com.
Shield AI also has signed a five-year letter of intent with Polish defense companies PGZ and WZL-2, according to geekwire.com. Under the framework, the companies are exploring plans to help build, supply, and repair the X-BAT, a partnership that could give NATO allies a fighter jet capable of operating even if local airfields and runways are destroyed or non-existent.
