The United States Army has awarded AeroVironment a $186 million contract for additional Switchblade 600 and 300 loitering munitions.
The order is part of a broader 2024 framework contract valued at up to $990 million over five years, intended to supply infantry and maneuver formations with portable precision strike drones.
According to AeroVironment, the shipment represents the Army’s first deployment of the upgraded Switchblade 600 series and the first configuration featuring an explosively formed penetrator warhead capable of countering armored threats.
System Specifications
The Switchblade lineup delivers compact, precision-guided loitering munitions that can be launched from multiple domains.
The 600 variant is 130 centimeters long, weighs 15 kilograms, and has a 150-millimeter diameter, offering a top speed of 185 km/h and endurance beyond 40 minutes.
The lighter 300 model measures 50 centimeters, weighs 3 kilograms, and has a 76-millimeter diameter. It can fly at up to 160 km/h and remain operational for over 20 minutes.
Both systems come with advanced electro-optical/infrared imaging, training and operational support packages, mission software, and electronic countermeasure options. Besides the US, countries such as Lithuania, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine also field the Switchblade family.
