AeroVironment wins $186M Army order

Arlington County-based defense contractor AeroVironment on Thursday announced that it has received a $186 million order from the Army for advanced attack drone systems designed to improve soldiers’ ability to destroy armored vehicles and other targets.

The order covers Switchblade 600 Block 2 and Switchblade 300 Block 20 loitering munitions. These are unmanned aerial weapons, sometimes informally known as “suicide drones,” that can fly over an area before striking a target and destroying themselves.

According to the company, the order marks the Army’s first procurement of AV’s Switchblade product, which features an explosively formed penetrator payload that delivers enhanced lethality against armored threats.

The purchase is tied to an existing five-year Army contract with a $990 million ceiling awarded in August 2024.

“This delivery order reflects the Army’s confidence in the next evolution of the Switchblade family and its relevance to modern, contested battlefields,” AeroVironment Senior Vice President of Loitering Munitions Brian Young said in a statement. “Switchblade 600 Block 2 and Switchblade 300 Block 20 build on years of combat experience while delivering meaningful upgrades in autonomy, resilience and lethality tailored to today’s operational demands.”

AeroVironment said the Switchblade 600 Block 2 is its most advanced long-range loitering munition to date, featuring upgraded avionics and advanced automatic target recognition that enable faster detection, identification and engagement of threats. It has improved communication ability and improved navigation in GPS-challenged environments.

Meanwhile, the Switchblade 300 Block 20 features sensor improvements, enhanced user interfaces and extended range options.

It was not made clear how many of the Switchblade models would be produced as part of the order, and AeroVironment did not immediately return requests for comment.

Headquartered in Arlington, AeroVironment specializes in intelligent multi-domain robotic systems, uncrewed aircraft and ground systems, sensors, software analytics and connectivity. The company reported $820.6 million in fiscal 2025 revenue, up 14% from the previous year.