Defense AI startup Shield AI announced on March 26 a $1.5B Series G led by Advent International and JPMorganChase, plus $500M in preferred equity from Blackstone, at a $12.7B post-money valuation — more than doubling its prior $5.6B mark. In tandem, the company is acquiring Aechelon Technology, maker of high-fidelity simulation and physics-based sensor AI used in the Pentagon's Joint Simulation Environment. The combined funding will scale Shield's Hivemind autonomy platform and V-BAT drone program; the company projects $540M in revenue for 2026.