In context: Switchblade drones are precision-guided missiles that may loiter over the battlefield for as much as 40 minutes whereas relaying video feeds again to troops earlier than smashing into targets kamikaze model. The US Military has been working to acquire them to offer floor forces a brand new functionality for taking out armored automobiles, tanks, and even enemies hiding behind cowl.
AeroVironment has landed a hefty $990 million contract to provide the US Military with its combat-proven Deadly Unmanned Programs (LUS) over the subsequent 5 years. It represents the Military’s first push to outfit troopers with man-portable loitering munitions at scale. An organization consultant advised The Battle Zone that whereas they could not disclose actual numbers, this deal covers deliveries of two drone variants – the Switchblade 300 and 600. AeroVironment expects deliveries to start in a number of months.
“AV is proud to have been chosen to offer Switchblade for this vital and pressing Military requirement,” stated AeroVironment Senior Vice President and Normal Supervisor of Loitering Munition Programs Brett Hush. “This newest contract underscores the unrivaled maturity and effectiveness of our system, in addition to AV’s strategic positioning to quickly produce and ship these cutting-edge options to operators within the discipline.”
Launched from a small tube system that foot troopers can simply transport, the smaller Switchblade 300 mannequin can loiter for 20 minutes out to 30 km. Troops can deploy it from land, sea, or cell platforms. Because of its low acoustic signature, the system stays laborious to detect, establish, or observe even when close by.
The Switchblade 600 variant can loiter for 40 minutes, has a spread of as much as 40 km, and has the identical anti-tank warhead because the shoulder-fired Javelin missile. Whereas the smaller mannequin is succesful sufficient, the bigger variant ups the ante with the power to take out tanks.
Each fashions come outfitted with electro-optical and infrared cameras that allow operators get a chicken’s eye view for recon or manually information the munitions to impression if wanted. The drones additionally function automated goal monitoring and engagement smarts, giving them multi-mission and multi-domain capabilities.
Whereas AeroVironment is blissful concerning the deal, it is price mentioning that the corporate has been delivering these drones to the Military for some time now beneath earlier contracts. The navy has already used them in neutralizing Russian navy property within the Ukraine struggle. Nevertheless, this new $990M award indicators that the Military is extra severe than ever about making such munitions a regular a part of its arsenal.