{"id":35941,"date":"2022-10-11T18:10:33","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T18:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2022\/10\/11\/switchblade-kamikaze-drone-production-to-ramp-up-following-ukraine-use\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:43:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:43:21","slug":"switchblade-kamikaze-drone-production-to-ramp-up-following-ukraine-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2022\/10\/11\/switchblade-kamikaze-drone-production-to-ramp-up-following-ukraine-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Switchblade kamikaze drone production to ramp up following Ukraine use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 AeroVironment, the maker of the Switchblade loitering munition<\/a> Ukraine has used against Russia in recent months, is planning to <\/b>ramp up production of the heavier-duty version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine has had repeated battlefield successes with the Switchblade 300 since the United States shipped it 400 of the lighter-weight loitering munition earlier this year, Charlie Dean, AeroVironment\u2019s vice president of sales and business development, said in an interview with Defense News at the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s conference on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And with the larger, more powerful Switchblade 600 on its way to Ukraine \u2014 Dean said the first batch of 10 would likely be in the country in the next few weeks \u2014 and growing visibility and interest in the weapon, AeroVironment is making preparations to produce more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dean said Ukraine has \u201cconsiderable interest\u201d in getting and using the Switchblade 600. Today, AeroVironment can produce more than 2,000 Switchblade 600 systems annually; within a few months, he said, the company hopes to roughly triple that to about 6,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do that, he added, the company is working to obtain more supplies to build the 600 version as well as adding new lines dedicated to the heavier-duty loitering munition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right now, he explained, AeroVironment only has one shift building the 600 systems, but could add a second shift if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
AeroVironment showed off several systems in use by Ukraine, including the Switchblade 300, during the 2022 AUSA conference. (Stephen Losey\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Switchblade loitering munitions are essentially a combination of a reconnaissance drone and guided missile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The smaller Switchblade 300 is small enough that a soldier can carry several in a backpack, set up its launching tube within a few minutes, and fire it off, with its folded wings snapping out like its namesake knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The soldier would then fly the 5.5-pound Switchblade 300 up to 10 kilometers, or about 6 miles, sweeping the area with the munition\u2019s camera and looking for a target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the target is spotted, Dean said, the Switchblade can loiter while the operator figures out the best spot to strike. Switchblade operators can even fine-tune the angle of attack to cause the most amount of damage, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, he said, Switchblade 300s have been used to take out \u201csoft-skin\u201d Russian targets \u2014 fuel trucks, personnel carriers, machine gun nests, trench positions and dismounted infantry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when the Switchblade 600 hits the battlefield, Dean said, it could prove to be an even more devastating <\/b>weapon \u2014 a \u201ctank-killer\u201d with a warhead as powerful as the Javelin, but controllable and able to travel a much greater range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon last month awarded AeroVironment a $2.2 million contract for 10 Switchblade 600s earmarked for Ukraine, and more are expected to follow. Switchblade 600s weigh 120 pounds and can fly up to 90 kilometers, Dean said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The first 10 heavier-duty Switchblade 600s, which can strike tanks or other armored targets, are also expected to be in Ukraine soon. (Stephen Losey\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And because Switchblades are precision weapons, Dean said, it\u2019s more likely Ukraine would only need one shot to hit its intended target instead of several rounds, as an artillery fight might require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The increased visibility from the Ukraine war \u2014 videos of the weapons in action regularly pop up on social media and have been publicized by Ukraine\u2019s government \u2014 has driven more interest from other countries. France in June announced its plan<\/a> to quickly buy Switchblades to plug a capability gap in its Army. Dean said other nations have expressed interest as well, though he declined to identify them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the war started, as Russian threats against Ukraine increased, Dean said, AeroVironment set up a team within its company to consider ways to help Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a personal mission for the firm\u2019s chief executive, Wahid Nawabi, said Dean. Nawabi grew up in Afghanistan and fled with family members after the Soviet Union invaded, Dean added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are very focused on helping Ukraine achieve victory,\u201d Dean said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AeroVironment said Ukraine has “considerable interest” in further using the Switchblade, and is preparing to accelerate production to meet that 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