Military
U.S. Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million order for AeroVironment's Switchblade loitering munitions, including both anti-personnel and tank-killing variants. The purchase signals the military's accelerating shift toward expendable autonomous weapons systems.
Key Takeaways
- Army placed a $186 million order for Switchblade 300 and Switchblade 600 loitering munitions
- The Switchblade 600 can destroy tanks using a Javelin-derived anti-armor warhead
- The procurement is directly informed by drone warfare lessons from Ukraine
- Expendable autonomous weapons represent a philosophical shift in military procurement
- AeroVironment is scaling production to meet growing domestic and international demand
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