USSOCOM Awards AeroVironment $26 Million for Switchblade 600 Tactical Missile Systems

An artist’s illustration of the Switchblade 600. AEROVIRONMENT

SIMI VALLEY, Calif.AeroVironment Inc. has been awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract on March 31, 2021, by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for $26 million with $7 million funded upon receipt. The contract includes delivery and integration of Switchblade 600 tactical missile systems into specialized maritime platforms, scheduled to be completed by January 2023.

“Our team worked closely with our customers to develop Switchblade 600, a loitering missile system that addresses the increasingly complex needs and mission requirements of counterinsurgency operations and those against peer and near-peer adversaries,” said Brett Hush, AeroVironment vice president and product line general manager for tactical missile systems. “Integrating Switchblade 600 into combat platforms, such as the USSOCOM’s specialized maritime vessels, enhances force overmatch, minimizes warfighter exposure to enemy direct and indirect fires and accelerates the maturation of this innovative solution.”

The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 is an all-in-one, man-portable system equipped with a high-performance electro-optical/infrared gimbaled sensor suite, precision flight control and more than 40 minutes of flight time to deliver unprecedented tactical reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA). Its anti-armor warhead enables engagement and prosecution of hardened static and moving light armored vehicles from multiple angles — without external ISR or fires assets — for precise, localized effects and minimal collateral damage.

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