AUSA 2025: AeroVironment Unveils Latest Switchblade Loitering Munitions
At AUSA, AeroVironment (AV) unveiled three new members of the Switchblade family of Loitering munitions. These one-way attack drones can be sent to loiter over an area for an extend period and then strike when a target presents itself. Switchblade launchers can be carried by soldiers or mounted on vehicles like the brand-new U-Hawk.
The heaviest among the new Switchblades is the Switchblade 600 Block 2—the evolution of the Switchblade 600 which gained fame busting Russian tanks in Ukraine. Equipped with a Javelin warhead, the 600 can engage targets at more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) when using Forward Pass communication protocols (60km+ without Forward Pass). “It is a remarkable weapon system,” AeroVironment Senior Director Austin Johnson told Overt Defense.
“The Block 1 is currently being fielded to the US Army under the Lethal Unmanned Systems Directed Requirement, and it’s also the Switchblade variant that has been used extensively in places like Ukraine and other places overseas. So what we did is the Switchblade 600 Block 1, we got all the lessons learned from places like Ukraine, and we decided to build the Switchblade 600 Block 2. And we’re unveiling that this week at AUSA.”
Johnson confirmed that the Block 2 has already entered service with a few militaries, but this is the first time its being presented publicly.
“The Block 2 takes everything good about the Switchblade 600 Block 1 and really improves upon that. We’ve updated the processing power inside the switchblade so now we’re able to do things like automatic target recognition and leverage other AI capabilities, to lessen workload on the operator. But it’s still centered around the Javelin warhead. So at its heart this is an armor killer. It’ll take out a main battle tank, air defense system, strategic targets or tactical targets anywhere in that 40-to-70-kilometer range.”
Some other improvements include extending the range and endurance of the Switchblade 600 by about 20%, marinizing the system to make it better suited for naval use. The 600 Block 2 is also much easier to build than its predecessor.
“it’s way easier to manufacture. So we lessen the touch points, we increase the assemblies that come in, so we’re not putting together intricate pieces. It improves our quality, improves manufacturability the time that it takes to build it.”
Johnson also spoke a bit about how AV worked directly with Ukrainians to tweak and improve the system:
“In Ukraine, we’ve met from everyone from top level MOD and state officials all the way down to the operators. They’ve launched in the tens of millions worth of Switchblade 600s and believe they’ve taken out almost $3 billion worth of Russian assets. We love hearing good news stories about Switchblade, but really what we’re there to hear is what’s going wrong. We talk about things like electronic warfare, we talk about friendly jamming, enemy jamming and how to defeat that jamming. All those lessons learned got pushed into our Switchblade 600, block 2 and our Switchblade 400.”
Compared to the Switchblade 600, the newly unveiled 400 is a lighter system with lesser range but identical firepower.
“We basically put the Switchblade 600 on a diet. It’s below 40 pounds so your average infantry soldier is going to be able to carry it, move with it, kneel with it and shoot with it. When they need to deploy it, it’s going to come out. It’s going to go out quick, and it’s going to get to the target and take out an enemy tank, which is essentially the point of that program.”
The maximum range of the new drone is reported to be 65km (40mi) if it won’t spend time loitering. For a target 35km (22mi) away, the Switchblade 400 can reach the target area in 20 minutes and loiter for 15 minutes. For a target 20km (13mi) away, the drone can reach its station in 8 minutes and remain over the target area for about 27 minutes. The weapon system has been down selected for the US Army’s Low Altitude Stalking and Striking Ordnance (LASSO).
The final new member of the family is the Switchblade 300 Block 20. This is a significantly smaller system and is an evolution of the original Switchblade which debuted in 2011.
“It comes with an anti-personnel payload. but we’re now also offering an EFP, which is an explosively formed penetrator warhead. So you have something as lightweight as under seven pounds that can take out enemy armor. So you can imagine a soldier carrying three or four of these in his rucksack. They’re able to take out enemy armor at a range of up to 25 to 30 kilometers (16-19mi) with a small weapon system like this.”
As it expands its offerings, AeroVironment is also rapidly expanding its production capabilities. Over the least year, Switchblade 600 production grew from 40 to 240 systems per month. In the near future, AV expects production to reach 1,200 per month.