The US has placed an order for Switchblade 600 worth about $1 billion

The United States has placed a large order to purchase Switchblade 600 worth about $1 billion.

The US Department of Defense announced the signing of the contract.

The 5-year contract with AeroVironment, worth $990 million, is intended to equip the US Armed Forces with Switchblade 600 systems.

The exact number of systems to be purchased by the Ministry of Defense is not disclosed, but given the previously concluded contacts, it is possible to determine the approximate number of systems.

Thus, within the 2025 contract, the United States ordered 54 Switchblade 600 systems worth $120.6 million.

The system consists of a control unit, 8 loitering munitions, and two components of the ISTAR intelligence and control system.

The Switchblade 600 is a 23-kilogram top-attack loitering munition.

Its flight duration is 40 minutes, during which the drone can cover 40 kilometers and barrage in the air.

The maximum flight speed of the drone is 185 kilometers per hour.

The drone is launched from a tubular launcher, which significantly reduces deployment time and allows it to be launched from any location.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Australian government decided to purchase American Switchblade 300 for its military.

The Australian army is to start operating AeroVironment’s attack drones in 2025.

The purchase followed the active use of these drones in the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to the country’s Ministry of Defense, this step will equip the Australian military with “the world’s best strike capability and protection” to perform various tasks effectively.