AeroVironment wins $990 million stand-off contract with the US DoD
The existing Switchblade 300 stand-off drone at launch. (Image: AeroVironment)
While few details have been released, the contract will likely be for a system similar to the existing Switchblade UAS.
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
-
![Ukraine and NATO look to industry to boost capability plans]()
Ukraine and NATO look to industry to boost capability plans
The Ukraine-Russia war has highlighted the force-multiplying capability of innovation and adaptation of industry and individual companies. NATO is attempting to introduce this flexibility while Ukraine is accelerating these efforts and looking for industrial support.
-
![DVD2026: Connected for Combat]()
DVD2026: Connected for Combat
As the land equipment sector prepares for the premier biennial event at UTAC Millbrook on 16 and 17 September 2026, the narrative for this year’s exhibition has officially been set: Connected for Combat - Aligning People, Systems and Decisions.
-
![Artillery lessons from the war in Ukraine spotlight future capability priorities]()
Artillery lessons from the war in Ukraine spotlight future capability priorities
The war in Ukraine has shown that artillery is still a vital tool in modern war. However, on a rapidly changing battlefield, there are a number of lessons from Ukraine about how artillery can be used in modern conflict.
-
![Tactical connectivity built for contested environments]()
Tactical connectivity built for contested environments
Modern tactical operations depend on resilient connectivity that can survive congestion, jamming, and rapidly evolving electronic warfare.
-
![May land forces roundup: counter-drone systems move up the agenda]()
May land forces roundup: counter-drone systems move up the agenda
There has been a drive towards uncrewed aerial systems and defeating them in recent weeks, with NATO exercises addressing the danger, new systems unveiled and a new Latvian counter-drone unit stood up following recent incursions.
