Switchblade

Switchblade is a family of tube-launched loitering munitions developed by AeroVironment of the United States. The original Switchblade, introduced in 2011 and later renamed Switchblade 300, is a 2.5 kg electric aircraft that a single soldier can carry and launch; the much larger Switchblade 600, unveiled in 2020, carries an anti-armour warhead. Both are in production and in service with the United States military and a growing list of allied operators.

Overview

The Switchblade concept combines a small unmanned aircraft with a precision munition: the aircraft is fired from a tube, flies to a target area under operator control, and ends its flight by diving onto the target. The name refers to the spring-loaded wings that stay folded inside the launch tube and flip out once the aircraft is released. AeroVironment designed the system in 2010 for platoon-sized infantry units that needed precision firepower against targets beyond the reach of direct-fire weapons.

The US Army awarded AeroVironment its first Switchblade contract in July 2011, followed by US Marine Corps orders in 2012 and deployments to Afghanistan later that year. The programme expanded sharply after 2022, when the United States began transferring Switchblade systems to Ukraine, and in August 2024 the US Army awarded a five-year contract with a ceiling of about US$1 billion for continued production. In February 2026 the company received a delivery order for the next-generation Switchblade 300 Block 20 and Switchblade 600 Block 2 variants.

Design and capabilities

Switchblade 300 is about 49.5 cm long and weighs 2.5 kg all-up. It is powered by an electric motor, cruises at roughly 101 km/h with a dash speed of 160 km/h, and operates at low altitude (below about 150 m). Endurance is 10–15 minutes, giving a practical range of around 10 km. The warhead is in the class of a 40 mm grenade, intended for personnel and light vehicles. The Block 20 upgrade extends endurance to about 20 minutes and improves the digital data link.

Switchblade 600 scales the concept up: the aircraft is about 130 cm long and weighs roughly 15 kg, with an all-up round of about 54.5 kg. It cruises at about 113 km/h (dash 185 km/h) and offers roughly 40 minutes of flight — typically 20 minutes of transit and 20 minutes of loiter — for a reach of about 40 km, or 80 km including loiter. Its warhead is derived from the Javelin anti-tank missile, and the system is controlled from a tablet-based fire-control unit.

Both variants use an encrypted digital data link, GPS-guided autonomous flight modes and a manual operator-in-the-loop terminal phase. The operator can "wave off" an attack up to a few seconds before impact and re-target. Launch options include the man-portable tube, a scalable multi-pack launcher (2–20 rounds), vehicle mounts, and—demonstrated in 2015—launch from an MV-22 Osprey. Naval integration on Combatant Craft Medium and Heavy boats has also been shown.

Operational history

Switchblade 300 entered US service in 2011 and was used by US forces in Afghanistan from 2012. In March 2022 the White House announced the first transfer of Switchblade systems to Ukraine as part of an US$800 million assistance package, with further systems pledged the following month; Ukraine first reported combat use in May 2022, and the Switchblade 600 saw its first combat use there in 2023. The US Army selected Switchblade 600 under its LASSO (Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance) programme in 2023. Other operators or announced customers include Lithuania (operational from 2025), Canada, France, Greece, Romania, Sweden, Australia and the United Kingdom, with a proposed sale to Taiwan announced in 2024. US Special Operations Command awarded a Switchblade 600 contract in 2021.

Variants

• Switchblade 300 – original anti-personnel / light-vehicle munition (2011); Block 10C added a digital data link; Block 20 extends endurance to about 20 minutes.
• Switchblade 600 – anti-armour variant with a Javelin-derived warhead (2020); Block 2 ordered in 2026.
• Blackwing – unarmed reconnaissance derivative of the Switchblade 300, demonstrated in 2015 and used by the US Navy for launch from submarines and ships.

Frequently asked questions

What is the range of the Switchblade drone?

The Switchblade 300 has a practical range of about 10 km within its 10–15 minute endurance. The Switchblade 600 flies about 40 km, or up to 80 km when its loiter time is counted.

How much does a Switchblade weigh?

The Switchblade 300 aircraft weighs about 2.5 kg; the Switchblade 600 aircraft weighs about 15 kg, with a complete all-up round of about 54.5 kg.

Which countries operate the Switchblade?

The United States (Army, Marine Corps, Navy), Ukraine, Lithuania, Canada, France, Greece, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom, with Australia and Taiwan announced as further customers.

Is the Switchblade a drone or a missile?

It is a loitering munition: an unmanned aircraft that carries a warhead, can circle over an area under operator control, and is expended on its target. It combines features of both.

Who makes the Switchblade?

AeroVironment, a US company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which also builds the Raven, Puma and Wasp small UAS.