US Army orders more Switchblades
Switchblade 300 is deployed via tube-launch from land, sea, mobile or air platforms. (Photo: AeroVironment)
A $20.6 million deal is the latest order from the US Army for Switchblades, dating back to 2011.
AeroVironment is to supply the US Army with an undisclosed quantity of extra Switchblade 300 loitering munitions under a new $20.6 million contract.
The firm-fixed-price deal from the US Army Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions Project Office was awarded in mid-August but it was only publicly acknowledged on 22 September.
The Switchblade 300s are scheduled to be delivered to the US Army by July 2023.
AeroVironment has supplied Switchblade 300s to the US Army since 2011 under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems programme.
A DoD contract in March 2021 awarded a two-year option deal worth $44.96 million to AeroVironment for additional Switchblade units. This contract value accounts for units for both the US Army and the UK.
Shephard Defence Insight estimates that US Army was procuring 490 Switchblade 300 units in this earlier contract.
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