AeroVironment received $20.6 million to supply Switchblade 300 barrage munitions to the U.S. Army

The U.S. Army will receive a large batch of kamikaze drones manufactured by AeroVironment within a year.

Here's What We Know

The manufacturer has been awarded a $20.6 million contract to manufacture and deliver Switchblade 300 barrage munitions. The cost per drone is about $6,000. Work under the agreement will be performed at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. Deliveries will be completed by July 2023.

The Switchblade 300 kamikaze drone is a disposable drone weighing less than 3 kg. The ammunition is 6.1 cm long. The Switchblade 300 can hit targets up to 10 kilometers away, but its compact size does not allow for a high-capacity battery. As a result, the UAV can only fly for 110 minutes.

Apart from the United States, the number of operators Switchblade 300 includes only two countries. These are the United Kingdom, which does not specify the number of drones purchased, and Ukraine. Our country has received up to 1,000 bomber munitions.

Source: AeroVironment