Defense firm expands its Switchblade family and enhances VAPOR drone for modern battlefield needs.
Arlington, VA – AV, formerly known as AeroVironment, kicked off the annual AUSA conference in Washington by unveiling several new defense solutions, including new versions of its man-portable Switchblade loitering munition family and an update to its existing VTOL platform.
Expanding the Switchblade Family
AV announced a new Switchblade platform, the Switchblade 400, a „medium-range” anti-armor loitering munition weighing less than 40 pounds. In addition, the company has updated its existing Switchblade 300, designed for attacks on light armor and personnel, and its Switchblade 600, which can target larger, more heavily armored targets.
„Warfighters require scalable, reliable, and interoperable effects that can be tailored to the threat and the environment,” said Trace Stevenson, AV’s president of autonomous systems, in a company release. „These three new Switchblade variants deliver that flexibility and scalability. Each design builds on proven fielded capability while adding important new capabilities that reduce risk and expand mission sets.”
Switchblade 600 Block 2: Enhanced Endurance and Range
AV has modified its Switchblade 600 with a new Block 2 version, providing 20 percent longer endurance and over 100 kilometers of handoff and relay range. Given that the existing Switchblade 600 has an endurance of over 40 minutes, the Block 2 improvement adds at least eight more minutes of loiter time, according to AV’s website.
Switchblade 300 Block 20: Modular Payload Bay for Enhanced Armor Piercing
The existing Switchblade 300 Block 20 has also been updated with a modular payload bay to integrate an explosively formed penetrator warhead, a shaped charge capable of piercing armor. AV’s Switchblade 300 webpage notes that the platform can fly for over 20 minutes with a range of roughly 30 kilometers.
Demand for Precision Munitions
The demand for lower-cost precision munitions has surged in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other global conflicts, where unmanned systems have become integral to modern artillery. AV’s Switchblade has been ordered for use in Ukraine, though it has reportedly faced operational challenges in contested electronic warfare environments. The company has stated that it has updated its platforms to address these issues.
VAPOR Compact Long Endurance (CLE): Enhanced Surveillance and Strike Capabilities
Building on its existing VAPOR platform, AV also revealed a new variant, the VAPOR Compact Long Endurance (CLE). This smaller unmanned system, in the Group 2 size category, is designed to operate longer and fully autonomously to perform surveillance, electronic warfare, precision strike, and resupply missions.
“We built the VAPOR CLE around what warfighters told us they needed most — more time over target, greater lift for mission-critical payloads, and a system rugged enough to survive the toughest environments,” said Jason Wright, AV’s senior product line manager, in the company’s release. “Those upgrades mean troops can carry less gear, set up faster, and count on a single platform to perform multiple roles in the field.”
According to AV’s release, the VAPOR CLE’s „packout case” measures seven cubic feet and weighs 35 pounds, and it can be deployed without tools. It offers a two-hour flight time and is modular, allowing for easier integration of third-party systems.
„Every detail of the VAPOR CLE reflects an upgrade driven by real-world mission needs,” said Jason Hendrix, AV’s vice president of small uncrewed systems, in the release. „By doubling endurance, increasing lift, and adding onboard autonomy, we’ve transformed the system into a combat-ready tool that gives warfighters more capability in a smaller, more adaptable package.”
