AeroVironment wins US Army Switchblade award
AeroVironment has received new orders that will see it supply the Switchblade tactical missile systems, ancillary equipment and support to the US Army. The five orders, valued at a total of $15.8 million, were awarded by the US Army Close Combat Weapons Systems Program Executive Office Missiles and Space (PEO MS).
Switchblade is a tactical missile system designed to provide a rapid, lethal, pinpoint precision strike capability with minimal collateral damage at beyond-line-of-sight ranges. The rapidly deployable, back-packable package weighs six pounds.
AeroVironment will continue its work with ATK to produce and deliver the systems under these orders. The company received the initial contract in August 2012 in support of the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force (REF).
Roy Minson, senior vice president and general manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, AeroVironment, said: ‘Switchblade is the first smart loitering weapon, giving our troops a new force protection capability that can deliver precision effects kilometres away with in-flight retargeting, target verification and pinpoint delivery, all resulting in little or no collateral effects. AeroVironment and ATK stand ready to deliver more Switchblade systems to protect our troops.’
Tim Conver, chairman and chief executive officer, AeroVironment, added: ‘Adoption of innovative new solutions within the Department of Defense is difficult in today’s budget constrained environment. These follow-on procurements of Switchblade systems demonstrate our customer’s confidence in this unique capability and the persistence required for the successful adoption and deployment of innovative solutions.’
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) (Contracted) [US Army]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![Polaris to unveil new MRZR Alpha base vehicle at Modern Day Marine]()
Polaris to unveil new MRZR Alpha base vehicle at Modern Day Marine
The new platform was designed to provide 1KW of exportable power as standard and has been developed in partnership with the US Marine Corps (USMC).
-
![British Army details Ajax plans]()
British Army details Ajax plans
Of the six variants in the Ajax programme – reconnaissance (Ajax), reconnaissance support (Ares), C2 (Athena), equipment repair (Apollo), equipment recovery (Atlas) and engineering reconnaissance (Argus) – the Ajax reconnaissance version is now entering service.
-
![CV90 revels in northern exposure while looking for new customers (updated April 2025)]()
CV90 revels in northern exposure while looking for new customers (updated April 2025)
The BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV has been around for decades but continual refreshing to maintain power and relevance, along with a healthy market at home in Sweden and neighbouring countries, has led to more than 1,700 vehicle orders with 10 countries.
-
![Oshkosh notches JLTV win with Dutch order]()
Oshkosh notches JLTV win with Dutch order
The order further extends the Oshkosh Defense production line as AM General, selected for US orders, pushes to get vehicles out the door with no room for export orders.
