Documents
United States AeroVironment
Switchblade 300
A backpackable, tube-launched loitering munition designed to give small infantry units organic precision-strike capability against personnel and light vehicles. Combat-proven with US special operations forces and supplied to Ukraine.
In service since 2011 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
160
km/h
10
km range
3,000
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $52,914, Corrected: the Department of Defense's own fiscal year 2023 budget request lists a unit cost of $52,914 per round, covering the airframe, warhead, sensors, guidance system, and data link but excluding the ground control station and training package. Other public estimates range from about $50,000 to $80,000 depending on what support equipment is bundled in.
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
Established · 5 operators
In service since 2011. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$132K – $185K
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
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. | 160 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 101 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 10 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 3,000 m |
| Endurance Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms, higher means longer persistent coverage. | 0.3 h |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 0 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Anti-personnel/light-vehicle shaped warhead |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 0.6 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 3 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. | $52,914 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 5 |
Specifications compiled from public AeroVironment and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Turkish Aerospace Industries ANKA-S Head-to-head comparisons
Switchblade 300 vs
Shahed-136 
Harop 
Lancet-3 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 has a maximum speed of 160 km/h.
What is the range of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 has a maximum range of 10 km.
How much does the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 weigh? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 has a combat weight of 3 kg.
How many crew does the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 require? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 requires a crew of 0.
What is the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 used for? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 is a uav / drone typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the AeroVironment Switchblade 300? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 cost? +
The AeroVironment Switchblade 300 has an approximate unit cost of 52,914 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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