AeroVironment received a contract from the U.S. Army for Switchblade 300 loitering munition systems. The value of this contract is $64,5 million. The number of ordered loitering munition systems has not been disclosed. All contracted Switchblade 300 systems are scheduled to be delivered by July 2024. A batch of the weapons produced under this contract will be delivered to the French Armed Forces. This contract includes foreign military sales of Switchblade 300 for the first time to France and another allied nation, expanding Switchblade’s footprint internationally.
“Switchblade 300 continues to be a critical weapon in the armed forces of Ukraine’s unmanned systems arsenal. This new contract further demonstrates the global demand for production-ready, combat-proven Switchblade 300 missile systems. We’re honored that Switchblade 300 continues to support the U.S. military and our allies,” said Brett Hush, AeroVironment’s vice president and product line general manager for Tactical Missile Systems.
AeroVironment’s combat-proven Switchblade 300 loitering missile systems have been deployed by the U.S. Army for more than a decade and are currently providing real-time ISR and precision strike support on battlefields in Ukraine. Ideal for use against beyond-line-of-sight targets, Switchblade systems were approved by the U.S. government for use by Ukraine and additional nations after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. This new U.S. Army contract includes foreign military sales of Switchblade 300 for the first time to France and another allied nation, expanding Switchblade’s footprint internationally.
The backpackable Switchblade 300 offers operators the flexibility to rapidly maneuver and employ the system on the ground. Real-time video, GPS coordinates, and wave-off capabilities provide the operator confidence in precisely attacking key targets. The Switchblade 300 Block 20 is the next-generation successor to the Switchblade 300. Building on the Switchblade’s battle-proven performance, the Switchblade Block 20 offers enhanced operational features including a high-resolution EO/IR panning camera suite, longer endurance, and a new touchscreen Fire Control System (FCS) allowing the operator to train, plan and execute missions with ease.
