| AeroVironment Switchblade | |
|---|---|
 Switchblade 300 launched by a US Marine | |
| Type | Loitering missile |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2011–present |
| Used by | United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Armed Forces of Ukraine |
| Wars | War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021) 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 2010 |
| Manufacturer | AeroVironment |
| Unit cost | $52,914 (Switchblade 300, FY2023) [1] |
| Produced | 2011–present |
| Variants | Switchblade 300, Switchblade 600, Blackwing |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) (Switchblade 300) 15 kg (33 lb) (Switchblade 600) |
| Length | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) (Switchblade 300) 130 cm (51 in) (Switchblade 600) |
| Diameter | 76 mm (3 in) (Switchblade 300) 150 mm (6 in) (Switchblade 600)[2] |
Operational range | 10 km (6.2 mi) or 15 min (Switchblade 300) 40 km (25 mi) or 40 min (Switchblade 600) |
| Flight altitude | <150 m (500 ft) |
| Maximum speed | Model 300: 101 km/h (63 mph) (cruise); 160 km/h (100 mph) (dash) Model 600: 113 km/h (70 mph) (cruise); 185 km/h (115 mph) (dash) |
Guidance system | Autonomous; manual |
Launch platform | Portable tube; multipack; assorted vehicles |
| References | [3][4][5] |
The AeroVironment Switchblade is a miniature loitering munition designed by AeroVironment and used by several branches of the United States military. Small enough to fit in a backpack, the Switchblade launches from a tube, flies to the target area, and crashes into its target while detonating its explosive warhead. The name Switchblade comes from how the spring-loaded wings are folded inside a tube and flipped out once released.[2]
Introduced in 2011, the original Switchblade was rebranded the Switchblade 300 after the much larger and very different Switchblade 600 anti-armour variant was unveiled in 2020. The Blackwing, an unarmed variant of the Switchblade 300, was released in 2015. More than 700 Switchblade 300 drones were sent to Ukraine by the United States as part of an arms package after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[6]
- ^ "The U.S. Army Won't Buy Any More Switchblade 300 Kamikaze Drones". 25 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023. Quote: In the 2022 budget, the cost for a single all-up round – the airframe, sensors, integrated guidance, warhead, data link, and launcher – was $58,063. In the 2023 budget, it was $52,914. There is a belief that this is the cost for 10 Switchblades; there is no foundation for this myth.
- ^ a b Moncourtois, Alyce; Hush, Brett (November 20, 2020). "Switchblade: From Gun-Launched UAV to Precision Strike Loitering Missile System" (PDF) (press release). AeroVironment. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ^ "Kamikaze drones: A new weapon brings power and peril to the U.S. military". NBC News. 6 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
- ^ Reim, Garrett (2020-03-05). "AeroVironment starts flight testing larger Switchblade with greater range". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 2021-06-16. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
- ^ "Switchblade 300 - Tactical Missile System". AeroVironment. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance for Ukraine". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-12.