AeroVironment wins $990 million stand-off contract with the US DoD
The existing Switchblade 300 stand-off drone at launch. (Image: AeroVironment)
AeroVironment Inc has been awarded a US$990 million US Department of Defense (DoD) contract to provide an organic stand-off capability for dismounted infantry formations.
AeroVironment is a manufacturer of uncrewed aerial systems based in Virginia, and the DoD contract announcement specified that the award was for systems “capable of destroying tanks, light armoured vehicles, hardened targets, defilade and personnel targets”.
While no specifics about the deliverable systems were given in the contract, Shephard analysts suggested it could ultimately be a loitering munition, possibly an FPV-style system. That conclusion was based on the popularity of such systems already created by AeroVironment, including the Switchblade 300 and the Switchblade 600.
Related Articles
Russia developing home-grown Switchblade equivalent, footage suggests
Lithuania acquires Switchblade 600
AeroVironment to “dramatically” increase production of Switchblades
Similarly, the DoD announcement gave no breakdown on numbers of units to be provided, but according to US Army FY2023 budget estimate documents, the Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) Switchblade had a flyaway unit cost of $52,914, or $53,000, and a gross cost of $68,200.
On that basis, the $990 million contract could deliver around 14,516 drones, each with a stand-off destructive capability intended to boost the performance of the US Army in conflict situations.
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 is a man-portable, tube-launched loitering munition already much used by US Army troops, and increasingly used in Ukraine since the Russian invasion of 2022. The Switchblade 600 has four times the range and can engage with non-line-of-sight armoured targets. It too is used by the US Army and by Ukraine, although Lithuania has also invested in the munition since 2022. The requirements of the DoD contract suggested it was looking for something more similar to the Switchblade 600 in this instance, with its insistence on viability against armoured targets.
The contract, awarded in 2024, came with an estimated completion date of August 2029. That being the case, Shephard analysts estimate the US Army could start seeing the first fruits of the contract by 2026.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
MyDefence delivers counter-drone system to US Army ahead of livefire exercise
The Soldier-Kit system consists of detector, jammer, tablet and wideband antenna and is being evaluated as part of Project Flytrap 3.0 counter uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) exercise.
-
Czech CAESAR howitzer order at risk of cancellation
The Czech Republic ordered 52 CAmion Equipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie (CAESAR) self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) in 2021 and added another 10 a year later. A cancellation of the programme would impact both the army’s capabilities and local industry which is involved in the manufacture.
-
Sweden turns to Nammo and Rheinmetall as world demand grows for 155mm shells
Demand for ammunition continues to increase with manufacturing capability growing to match. Sweden have turned to the two supply lines of Rheinmetall and Nammo as part of a Nordic effort to meet demand. The Polish Government has also announced a US$700 million investment to boost manufacture of munitions.
-
Contract moves new Abrams tank forward in the face of cuts
Several US Army vehicle programmes were axed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s plans to transform the US Army, as outlined in the Letter to the Force: Army Transformation Initiative document. However, the new generation Abrams M1E3 main battle tank (MBT) was singled out for survival. But what will it look like?
-
Malaysia signs for two additional GM400α air surveillance radars
The order is in addition to two systems ordered in 2023. It forms part of a family of systems which is becoming widely used and part of a growing demand for the capability, both in deliveries and requirements.