AeroVironment is significantly scaling up its domestic production capacity for the Switchblade family of loitering munitions. The company will now be able to produce up to 14,400 units annually at its facilities in the United States. This expansion comes amid surging global demand for low-cost precision strike capabilities—especially following the widespread battlefield use of such systems in Ukraine.
Switchblade Production Surge Driven by Operational Demand
The decision to ramp up production follows a series of U.S. Department of Defense contracts and foreign military sales (FMS) that have highlighted the growing strategic value of loitering munitions. According to AeroVironment officials speaking at recent defense industry events and confirmed via company press releases and DoD contract announcements, the new capacity is focused primarily on the Switchblade 300 model—a man-portable tactical loitering munition designed for dismounted infantry and special operations forces.
Originally developed under U.S. Army contracts beginning in 2011 as part of the Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System (LMAMS) program, the Switchblade 300 has evolved into one of the most widely deployed Western loitering munitions. It weighs approximately 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs), has a range of up to 10 km depending on launch method and environmental conditions, and can stay aloft for about 15 minutes.
The system offers real-time video feed via EO/IR sensors and allows operators to abort or redirect attacks mid-flight—a key feature distinguishing it from simpler FPV drones or kamikaze UAVs used by non-state actors or improvised forces.
Ukraine War Highlights Tactical Value of Loitering Munitions
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has served as a proving ground for various classes of loitering munitions—including both state-supplied systems like Switchblades and commercial FPV drones modified for combat roles. Since early 2022, hundreds—if not thousands—of Switchblades have been delivered to Ukrainian forces via U.S. security assistance packages.
While initial batches included both Switchblade 300 and larger Switchblade 600 variants (the latter equipped with an anti-armor warhead), open-source battlefield footage indicates that Ukrainian forces have primarily used the smaller variant for soft target engagement: infantry positions, light vehicles, command posts.
The experience has underscored several operational lessons:
- Portability: The backpackable form factor allows rapid deployment by small teams without vehicle support.
- Low signature: Electric propulsion makes it difficult to detect acoustically or thermally compared to larger drones.
- Cognitive load: Integrated targeting interface reduces operator burden compared with manually piloted FPVs.
AeroVironment’s Domestic Production Footprint
The expanded production capacity will be centered at AeroVironment’s facilities in Simi Valley and Petaluma (California), as well as Huntsville (Alabama), where final assembly lines are being optimized for throughput using lean manufacturing principles. According to company statements during AUSA and SOFIC events in recent years, AeroVironment has invested heavily in automation tools—including robotic inspection systems—to reduce unit cost while maintaining quality assurance tolerances required by DoD standards.
This move also aligns with broader Pentagon efforts under the Defense Production Act Title III authorities aimed at strengthening domestic industrial base resilience for critical munitions categories—including precision-guided weapons and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). In July 2023, AeroVironment received a $64 million contract modification from U.S. Army Contracting Command specifically earmarked for increased LMAMS output through FY2025.
Cost-Effectiveness vs Alternatives
One driver behind continued Pentagon investment in Switchblades is their favorable cost-to-effectiveness ratio compared with legacy precision strike assets like Hellfire missiles or even tube-launched guided rockets (e.g., APKWS). While exact unit costs remain classified or redacted from public contracts due to competition sensitivity, estimates place a single Switchblade 300 unit between $6,000–$15,000 depending on configuration and quantity ordered—significantly cheaper than most manned air-delivered PGMs.
This pricing makes them viable not only for special operations raids but also for attritable use against time-sensitive targets during peer conflict scenarios—particularly when GPS jamming or contested airspace limits traditional ISR-strike coordination cycles.
Next-Gen Developments: AI Target Recognition & Networked Swarms
AeroVironment continues R&D efforts aimed at enhancing autonomy and networked operation modes across its loitering munition portfolio. In partnership with DARPA’s OFFSET program and other classified initiatives under SOCOM sponsorships, future iterations may include onboard AI-enabled target recognition modules allowing semi-autonomous engagement based on visual profiles—reducing operator workload further while enabling swarm tactics against dispersed enemy formations.
The company is also exploring mesh networking protocols allowing multiple Switchblades—or mixed formations including Puma ISR UAVs—to share sensor data mid-mission via secure datalinks such as TrellisWare TSM-X waveform or Link-16 gateways integrated into forward command nodes.
Strategic Implications: Industrial Base & Export Potential
The ability to produce over 14,000 units annually positions AeroVironment as one of the largest Western suppliers of tactical loitering munitions outside Israel’s UVision Hero line or Turkish STM Kargu series. With NATO militaries increasingly integrating such systems into their battalion-level TO&Es—and multiple Indo-Pacific partners requesting export licenses—the expanded output may support not only U.S. stockpile replenishment but also allied force modernization programs under Foreign Military Sales (FMS) channels.
Key potential customers include Poland (already investing heavily in indigenous Warmate-class drones), Taiwan (seeking asymmetric deterrence options), Baltic states (with pre-approved EDA channels), and Australia (which recently launched its own sovereign LMAMS initiative).
Conclusion
AeroVironment’s move to scale up annual production capacity signals a maturation point in Western adoption of loitering munition doctrine—from niche SOF applications toward general-purpose usage across combined arms formations. As battlefield realities continue evolving toward distributed lethality concepts—and adversaries field increasingly capable counter-UAS tools—the ability to mass-produce reliable one-way attack drones domestically will remain a key pillar of future force readiness strategies.
