AeroVironment will supply Ukraine with the latest Switchblade 300 Block 20 kamikaze drones

California-based firm AeroVironment is entering the global market. CEO Wahid Nawabi said the war in Ukraine was a watershed moment for the company. He also announced deliveries of the latest Switchblade 300 Block 20 kamikaze drones to Ukraine.

Here's What We Know

The head of AeroVironment confirmed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had received Switchblade 300 and Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones along with Puma drones since 24 February 2022. Other countries have turned their attention to the company's products since then.

Wahid Nawabi said Ukraine had awakened many customers. The US government has allowed the company to export Switchblade series kamikaze drones to allies and partners, which include 20 countries, including Ukraine. The latest customers are France and one unnamed country. AeroVironment has a separate licence for cooperation with each country.

The company recently announced a new version of the Switchblade 300. The kamikaze drone received a Block 20 upgrade which improved the camera control system and increased the flight time to 20 minutes. The ammunition weight has been reduced to 2.3kg. There is no information on other innovations.

The head of AeroVironment did not answer the question whether the Switchblade 300 Block 20 is used in Ukraine. However, he said that the new version of the kamikaze drone will be included in future military aid packages. This is likely to happen by the end of this year.

Source: Breaking Defense