The Rundown – City answers questions about Shield project at airport
Published on November 11, 2026
The Rundown is prepared by the City of Newton Communications Office to summarize the City Commission action and does not represent official Commission minutes.
7 p.m. Nov. 10, 2026, Newton City Commission meeting
At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Commission received a presentation about the ongoing Shield development project at Newton City/County Airport.
Since October of last year, Shield has been leasing hangar and office space, as well as 9.85 acres for a concrete pad, for flight testing of its new X-BAT, an AI-piloted fighter jet. The City and County are now working with Shield on a possible expansion to include construction of an additional large hangar, designed to be the long-term maintenance and repair facility for the X-BAT.
Tuesday’s presentation was designed to address questions raised by some residents in the area regarding Shield’s operations and safety, noise concerns, drainage, and future development of the airport.
Aviation Director Brian Palmer said the noise level of Shield’s aircraft is not expected to exceed that of aircraft currently in use at the airport, as it uses the same engine used by many conventional small jets. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricts any aircraft from exceeding 288 MPH below 10,000 feet, so residents will not hear sonic booms.
Like any development project exceeding an acre in size, the hangar project will require a drainage study by a licensed civil engineer. Shield’s operations don’t pose any particular environmental concerns not already associated with the airport, such as jet fuel or aircraft paint.
Although Shield has military contracts, it is a private technology company, not a branch of the military. Test flights will not be armed, and no weapons testing operations will occur at the Newton airport.
Shield has a seven-year lease of the existing hangar and pad site, planning for 30-60 new high-tech jobs, and has already invested about $5 million at the site. The company has said it expects to add another 75 full-time jobs with the expansion and a $30 million capital investment.
The new hangar construction is to be bonded by the City, with lease payments structured to pay off the bonds in 10-15 years. If Shield were to break the lease or leave Newton, the new hangar would remain a marketable asset for the airport. Hangars of that size and type are in high demand in the region. The City is working with Harvey County on a possible interlocal agreement to share costs for the construction, if needed.
Last month, the City issued a Request for Proposals for design-build of the new hangar. On Tuesday, the City received seven proposals, which will be reviewed by a committee and a recommendation made to the Commissions. Negotiations with Shield on terms of the lease agreement are ongoing.
On Nov. 24, the City Commission is expected to consider the design-build contract, lease agreement with Shield, and an interlocal agreement with Harvey County.
More details from the presentation:
Community members with additional questions about the project are encouraged to submit them to City staff by email before the Nov. 24 meeting.
In other action, the City Commission:
- Approved a final plat for Brigham Industrial Addition at Meridian and Sharps Drive.
- Approved a new franchise agreement with Kansas Gas Service.
- Outlined the 2026 corporate boundaries of the city.
The full agenda packet and meeting video are available online.