The AeroVironment Switchblade is a miniature loitering munition designed by AeroVironment and used by several branches of the United States military. Small enough to fit in a backpack, the Switchblade launches from a tube, flies to the target area, and crashes into its target while detonating its explosive warhead. The name Switchblade comes from the way the spring-loaded wings are folded up inside a tube and flip out once released.[2]
Introduced in 2011, the original Switchblade was rebranded the Switchblade300 after the much larger and very different Switchblade600 anti-armor variant was unveiled in 2020. The Blackwing, an unarmed variant of the Switchblade300, was released in 2015. More than 700 Switchblade 300 drones were sent to Ukraine by the United States as part of an arms package after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[6]
History
Designed by the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and developed by the United States Army,[7] The Switchblade was designed to assist US troops in responding to enemy ambushes in Afghanistan. Close air support takes time to arrive, is costly to operate, and risks collateral damage in urban areas. Troop-carried guided missiles, such as the FGM-148 Javelin, are also significantly larger, heavier, and more expensive, and only a few, if any, are carried on a typical patrol. Human-portable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the Raven or Puma can spot threats but lack weapons. The backpackable, relatively inexpensive Switchblade has sensors to help spot enemy fighters and an explosive warhead to attack them from above, which is especially helpful in dug-in positions like rooftops or ridge lines.
On July 29, 2011, the U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $4.9 million contract for "rapid fielding" of an unspecified number of Switchblades to forces in Afghanistan.[8][9][10] On March 20, 2012, the Army added $5.1 million, totaling $10 million.[11]
In May 2012, the United States Marine Corps began ordering Switchblades to allow troops to strike improvised explosive device (IED) emplacement teams and similar targets. Usually, when air support is called in, attackers slip away before a large UAV, attack helicopter, fighter bomber, or quick reaction force can arrive at the station. Marines sometimes couldn't get support due to other units getting mission priority. The Switchblade is small enough to fit in a Marine's ALICE or MOLLE pack and locks onto and tracks a target once selected.[12]
In late 2012, 75 switchblades were supplied to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Several successful employments had occurred by January 2013. Although the military would not confirm details about its deployment, effectiveness, distribution, or tactical employment, commanders reported that it was "very effective." Shortly after, the Army theater commanders requested a joint urgent needs statement for more systems. The number requested was not specified but was "dramatically more" than the 75 systems initially supplied and exceeded budget limitations. The Switchblade gained notoriety among soldiers using it and insurgents targeted by it. The Army classifies it as a direct-fire munition rather than a drone.[9][13]
Soldiers embraced it as a valuable tool, especially to reduce collateral damage. Unlike most other weapons, the Switchblade can wave off or abort a mission if the situation changes after launch, allowing it to engage a secondary target or destroy itself without inflicting casualties or property damage.[14] Wave off was used over a dozen times to prevent civilian casualties that could have been caused had a person not been in the decision loop.[7]
On August 28, 2013, AeroVironment announced it had been awarded five contracts totaling $15.8 million to supply more Switchblade systems, ancillary equipment, and support to the Army.[15] One week later, the Pentagon gave the company a follow-on contract worth $6.6 million. On September 5, 2013, AeroVironment was awarded a $29 million contract modification to supply Switchblade munitions systems and associated hardware and support services, totaling $51.4 million worth in contracts announced over nine days.[16]
In April 2015, the Marines test-fired a switchblade from the back of an MV-22 Osprey. The drone was not equipped with a warhead but was successfully released and accurately steered toward a target. The test showed that the Switchblade could be air-launched from the aircraft and add a remotely controlled, weaponized surveillance tool to the Osprey.[17] From its introduction to the end of Operation Enduring Freedom, over 4,000 switchblades were deployed in Afghanistan.[18] In mid-2017, 350 switchblades were delivered to SOCOM for use against Islamic State.[19]
On April 28, 2016, AeroVironment announced they had developed an upgrade for the Switchblade Tactical Missile System, designated Block 10C. In October 2016, AeroVironment announced the Multi-Pack Launcher (MPL), a system to carry and remotely launch several Switchblades.[20]
In October 2020, AeroVironment announced a project with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to demonstrate a "high-speed, long-range unmanned combat air vehicle" that serves as a mothership to deliver Switchblade 300s in large numbers that cooperatively attack and overwhelm enemy defenses.[21]
In late 2018, AeroVironment was working on the larger Switchblade 600.[22] In March 2020, AeroVironment revealed it had flight tested the product the previous year. In October 2020, AeroVironment unveiled the larger unit. By the time of its unveiling, it had undergone 60 test flights from ground launches against fixed and moving targets.[21][23][24]
On March 31, 2021, AeroVironment was awarded a US$26.1 million contract by SOCOM for the Switchblade 600. The system addresses the United States Naval Special Warfare Command's Maritime Precision Engagement (MPE) requirement to engage asymmetric threats with Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) and Heavy (CCH) boats acting as host platforms.[25][26]
In March 2022, it was reported that the US was considering providing Switchblade drones to the Ukrainian armed forces following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[27] On March 16, the White House announced that "100 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems" would be provided to Ukraine as part of an $800 million military aid package.[28] Another 600 systems were announced to be sent in April,[29] bringing the total number of munitions sent to Ukraine to 700.[30]
Ukraine first reported using a switchblade on a Russian target in Kharkiv Oblast in early May. A Switchblade 300 was used against a bunker; it is unclear if it was shot down or completed its task by exploding. Russian forces recovered the remains.[31][32][33] Despite receiving hundreds of Switchblade drones, some Ukrainian units prefer to use commercial drones equipped with explosives that are easier to use.[34] The U.S. planned to also send the anti-armor Switchblade 600,[35] but although the Switchblade 300 was delivered soon after being pledged to Ukraine, the larger Switchblade 600 was not because it was still a prototype and not considered a fielded capability, so it had to complete testing and evaluation.[36] While the Switchblade 300 has been used against soft Russian targets like fuel trucks, personnel carriers, machine gun nests, trench positions, and dismounted infantry, the Switchblade 600 can be used against heavy armor, including tanks. In October 2022, AeroVironment said the first batch of 10 Switchblade 600s would likely be in Ukraine "in the next few weeks."[37] They were reportedly delivered by the end of the year, and were first used in combat in spring 2023.[38]
The Switchblade's effectiveness depends on whether Ukraine has received them sufficiently and to what extent they prove qualitatively superior to Ukraine's many improvised loitering munition solutions regarding range, accuracy, and resistance to jamming. Jamming is likely responsible for the majority of drone losses in the conflict.[38] Ukraine initially used the Switchblade-300 when the war broke out, but the system's use gradually declined because Russia improved its air defense and electronic warfare systems.[39] According to three unnamed Ukrainian officers in April and May 2023, Ukraine is losing 10,000 drones a month to Russian electronic-warfare systems that send fake signals and interfere with their navigation.[40]
On April 23, 2023, the US Army decided not to buy more Switchblade 300s. In Ukraine, the anti-personnel Switchblade 300 performs poorly against Russian tanks and artillery, and the cost was significantly more expensive than commercial competition. In the 2022 budget, the price for a single unit—the airframe, sensors, integrated guidance, warhead, data link, and launcher – was $58,063. This cost does not include additional elements like the guidance unit, which costs around $30,000, or fielding costs, spares, support, training rounds, and simulators. Ukrainian units prefer to use commercial drones equipped with cheaper explosives, at around $700 or less.[41]
The U.S. Army ordered more than 100 Switchblade 600s in October 2023 as part of the first increment of the Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program; they will be operated at company-level.[42]
Design
Switchblade 300
Switchblade 300 in flight
The Switchblade 300 is designed as an expendable UAV to offer precision firepower for platoon-sized infantry units.
It helps engage long-range targets and assists in relieving units pinned down by enemy fire. It can identify, track, and engage targets and follow a pre-programmed course.
It has been used to destroy light armored vehicles and personnel. The operator can call to re-target a unit en route.[8][9][43] Its small size and silent flight makes it extremely difficult to detect or intercept.
Launch unit for the Switchblade 300. Compressed air is used to expel the drone from the tube.
The Switchblade uses the same Ground Control Station (GCS) as other AeroVironment UAVs, including the Wasp, RQ-11 Raven, and RQ-20 Puma. This creates a commonality and the potential for teaming of longer-endurance small UAVs to recon for targets, then having the Switchblade attack once they are identified with the same controller.[8][9][43][44][unreliable source?]
The warhead is designed for controlled firepower to reduce collateral damage through a focused blast. It has a forward-firing shotgun-blast effect rather than a 360-degree blast, expelling pellets in the direction that the missile is traveling. It can be fused to detonate at a predetermined height, which can be adjusted mid-flight. When diving, the operator can cancel the attack until four seconds from impact. The warhead can be detonated mid-flight to destroy it.[7]
The U.S. Army categorizes the Switchblade as a missile rather than a drone. The term "loitering munition" is preferred. Unlike UAVs, it is not recoverable once launched. Its operation is similar to the wireless TOW missile through a fly-by-radio frequency signal. The TOW doesn't loiter, but both have the same operator-in-the-loop characteristics.[7]
The Switchblade does not fit into established doctrines since it is not an armed reconnaissance vehicle dispatched by a platoon commander to scout over an area and destroy enemies, or an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform, as its cameras are for viewing targets instead of recon. It meets the need for squads and platoons that lack high-level intelligence and communications to fire missiles beyond the ranges they are trying to influence.[7]
SRC Inc. developed software to combine the Switchblade with sensors to intercept hostile UAVs. The Switchblade is used alongside an existing counter-artillery radar and IED jamming system, all of which can be towed by Humvees. Interception of an enemy drone occurs in layers: if a drone gets through covering fighters or is too small to be targeted by them, it is picked up by the fire-finding radar. Once detected, the jammer performs electronic warfare to break its data link. If the drone resists EW, a Switchblade is launched to impact and destroy it physically.[45]
Block 10C
Each Block 10C unit is 2ft (610mm) long and weighs 6lb (2.7kg) including the carrying case and launcher, making it small and light enough for one soldier to carry. It can be controlled at distances of up to 10km (6.2mi). Flight time is 10 minutes. It is equipped with (daytime) color and infrared cameras and a GPS locator. Its warhead is equivalent to a 40mm grenade. An electric motor propels the aircraft and can reach speeds of 85 knots (98mph; 157km/h).
The Switchblade uses daytime, as well as an "aided target tracker" to lock on to stationary and moving targets.[7]
Block 10C incorporates a Digital Data Link (DDL) to provide a stable and secure encrypted communication link through more efficient use of existing frequency bands and significantly reduced likelihood of signal interception, as well as concurrent operation of multiple Switchblade systems in the same vicinity without signal conflict, gives opportunity to extend operational ranges using another DDL arbiter such as a different AeroVironment UAV, and facilitates sensor to shooter operations through automatic communication of mission plans from one AeroVironment UAS to a Switchblade.[46]
The Multi-Pack Launcher (MPL) remotely launches multiple Switchblades. The MPL is fully loaded in a standard 6-pack configuration weighing 160lb (73kg). The design is scalable from 2 to 20 rounds and enables rapid reloading of less than 30 seconds per round. The U.S. Army began deploying the MPL in early 2019 for base defense.[20][47]
Block 20
Block 20 increases flight time to 20 minutes. It features an improved DDL range. It has an EO/IR panning camera suite to provide real-time video and left-hand commit with continuous identification (PID).[48]
It has a gross weight of about 8lb (3.6kg). The 4-lb (2-kg) unit can be launched in less than two minutes. The launch tube includes an integrated control and can support land, sea, and mobile platforms.[49]
It can send back intelligence, such as GPS coordinates of targets.[49]
Switchblade 600
The larger Switchblade 600 loitering munition weighs 54.5kg (120lb) including the all-up round in the tube and FCS;[50] the airframe weighs 22.7kg (50lb), with the fire control-system consisting of a tablet and long-range antenna.[51] The system is man-portable and can be set up in 10 minutes. It is designed to fly out to 40km (25mi) in 20 minutes, then loiter for another 20 minutes (giving it an 80km (50mi) total range), however, reaching its maximum capable range requires using two long-range antennas deployed on the field to relay command from one operator to another through the handoff capability of the data link. It attacks at a 115mph (185km/h) dash speed, carrying an ATGM warhead based on the Javelin ATGM, designed to neutralize armored vehicles.[51][52][53]
A touchscreen tablet-based fire control system can manually or autonomously control the munition. It is secured through onboard encrypted data links and Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module GPS with a patented wave-off capability. An optional pocket digital data link (DDL) module allows engagements beyond 90km (56mi).[54] The larger Switchblade could be fitted with an anti-tank warhead while having longer range and costing less than anti-tank missiles like the FGM-148 Javelin.[55][56]
The Switchblade 600 was developed for the Army Single Multi-Mission Attack Missile development program. Other methods could include a six-pack vehicle-mounted version and by air-launch.[21][23][24]
In October 2022, AeroVironment said it was capable of producing more than 2,000 Switchblade 600 systems annually, and that it planned within a few months to increase production capacity to 6,000 per year.[37]
Blackwing
First demonstrated in 2015, the AeroVironment Blackwing is an unarmed variant of the Switchblade300 with similar weight and dimensions. It was developed for the United States Navy to provide rapid ISR (Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) as well as command and control relay operations among surface and undersea manned and unmanned vessels. The Blackwing can be deployed from a submerged submarine, surface ship, or mobile ground launcher.[2][57]
French Armed Forces: In April 2023,[62] AeroVironment announced a contract with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, without specifying the number of Switchblade 300 ordered.[63]
Lithuanian Armed Forces: In December 2022, Lithuania signed a contract to acquire Switchblade 600 loitering munitions. Lithuania will also receive Switchblade 300 loitering munitions as a donation.[64] Lithuanian forces will receive the kit in 2024.[65][66]
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AeroVironment, Inc. is an American defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Paul B. MacCready Jr., a designer of human-powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971. The company is best known for its lightweight human-powered and solar-powered vehicles. The company is the US military's top supplier of small drones —notably the Raven, Switchblade, Wasp and Puma models.
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References
↑ "The U.S. Army Won't Buy Any More Switchblade 300 Kamikaze Drones". 25 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023. Quote: In the 2022 budget, the cost for a single all-up round – the airframe, sensors, integrated guidance, warhead, data link, and launcher – was $58,063. In the 2023 budget, it was $52,914. There is a belief that this is the cost for 10 Switchblades; there is no foundation for this myth.
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