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United States AeroVironment
Switchblade 600
A man-portable, tube-launched loitering munition scaled up from the smaller Switchblade 300 to defeat armored vehicles and other hardened targets. It has been supplied to Ukraine as part of US security assistance for anti-armor operations.
In service since 2020 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
185
km/h
40
km range
3,000
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $100,000 — Publicly cited approximate round unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2020. Status: active · ~1,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$250K – $350K
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 185 km/h Stronger than 33% of UAVs
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 113 km/h Stronger than 27% of UAVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 40 km Stronger than 18% of UAVs
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 3,000 m Bottom 8% of UAVs
- Endurance
Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms — higher means longer persistent coverage.
- 0.7 h Stronger than 11% of UAVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 4 kg Stronger than 42% of UAVs
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Anti-armor tandem-charge shaped warhead
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1.2 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 27 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 0
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Electric motor with tube-launch booster
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- Electro-optical/infrared gimbaled seeker
- Datalink
Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.
- Encrypted two-way LOS datalink
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $100,000 Stronger than 74% of UAVs
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 1,000 Stronger than 76% of UAVs
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 2 Stronger than 33% of UAVs
Specifications compiled from public AeroVironment and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
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Turkish Aerospace Industries ANKA-S Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the AeroVironment Switchblade 600? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 has a maximum speed of 185 km/h.
What is the range of the AeroVironment Switchblade 600? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 has a maximum range of 40 km.
How much does the AeroVironment Switchblade 600 weigh? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 has a combat weight of 27 kg.
How many crew does the AeroVironment Switchblade 600 require? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 requires a crew of 0.
What is the AeroVironment Switchblade 600 used for? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 is a uav / drone typically used for anti armor.
How many countries operate the AeroVironment Switchblade 600? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the AeroVironment Switchblade 600 cost? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 600 has an approximate unit cost of 100,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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