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The US Army has significantly bolstered its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities with a contract awarded to Virginia-based AeroVironment (AV). The contract, valued at up to $990 million, covers a five-year period and involves supplying Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) to enhance operational effectiveness. The Switchblade kamikaze drones that were bought, known for their combat-proven performance, will provide soldiers with advanced precision flight control and increased lethality against fortified targets such as armored vehicles and tanks. Deliveries are anticipated to commence within months.
This contract marks the Army’s initial effort to integrate portable but lethal loitering munition systems into infantry battalions. The Switchblade systems are designed to improve soldiers’ battlefield capabilities with their precise flight control, robust engagement of moving targets and targets out of line of sight, and provide superior effectiveness against well-defended positions. The new systems will significantly enhance the Army’s operational reach and precision.
The Switchblade system offers operators a versatile multi-mission system capable of executing complex multi-domain operations. The system features high-precision optics, over 40 minutes of loitering endurance, and an anti-armor warhead designed to engage larger, hardened targets from greater distances.
The Switchblade is a fully integrated, man-portable solution that can be set up and made operational in under 10 minutes. It includes everything needed for mission planning and execution, equipped with advanced high-resolution EO/IR sensors and precision flight control. This capability allows for tube launch deployment, quick engagement of non-line-of-sight targets, and accurate strikes on armored vehicles without relying on external intelligence, surveillance, or reconnaissance (ISR) assets.
Switchblade drones come with patented wave-off and recommit functions, enabling operators to abort and re-engage missions as needed. This flexibility enhances operational adaptability whether from fixed defensive positions, combat vehicles, or air-launched platforms.
The Switchblade kamikaze drones are also a key component of the Pentagon’s Replicator initiative, aimed at countering China’s military expansion. The initiative’s goal is to deploy thousands of autonomous systems across multiple domains by August 2025. As part of this effort, the Army plans to acquire and field over a thousand Switchblade loitering munitions in the coming year, reinforcing the initiative’s ambitious objectives.
