AeroVironment, Inc., a global leader in defense technology, autonomous systems, and precision strike solutions, has announced receipt of a $51 million delivery order from the United States Army for additional Switchblade 600 Block 2 loitering munition systems. The order also includes Switchblade 600 Block 1 systems in support of a Foreign Military Sale to a key United States ally.
The order was awarded under the Army’s existing five-year, $990 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS), originally issued in August 2024. This latest award represents a follow-on procurement to the Army’s initial order for the next-generation Switchblade product line and underscores the strong, sustained demand for AV’s battle-proven long-range, precision loitering munitions.
Brian Young, Senior Vice President of Loitering Munitions at AV, stated:
“Continued investment by the U.S. Army in Switchblade 600 Block 2 reflects both the growing demand for long-range, precision loitering munitions and the proven reliability of the Switchblade family in demanding operational environments. Building on the success of Switchblade 600 Block 1, Block 2 continues to deliver meaningful upgrades in autonomy, resilience, and lethality tailored to the Army’s needs in contested, multi-domain operations.”
This order also reflects AV’s expanding production capacity and performance on prior Switchblade 600 deliveries.
Brian Young added:
“This new delivery order under the LUS IDIQ further validates Switchblade 600 Block 2 as a next-generation, scalable fires solution for the Army. As we expand our manufacturing capacity and accelerate delivery timelines, we’re ensuring that U.S. soldiers have reliable, combat-proven loitering munitions that deliver precision effects at range while keeping them out of harm’s way.”
