Documents
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 ↗
185
km/h
40
km range
3,000
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $90,000, AeroVironment has never published an official price for the Switchblade 600. Public reporting generally clusters between $70,000 and $90,000 per unit, though some estimates suggest configurations with launch hardware and support can exceed $100,000. Treat any single figure as an informed estimate rather than a confirmed contract price.
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.)
$225K – $315K
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. Published studies put O&S anywhere from ~55% to ~70% of lifecycle cost depending on platform and method, which is why this is a band and not a single number. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
12 comparable systems from 7 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: UAVs built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
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 |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 113 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 40 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. On a ground robot, published continuous run time on a full charge or fuel tank. | 0.7 h |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 4 kg |
|---|---|
| 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. | $90,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 1,000 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
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
See how it stacks up
Turkish Aerospace Industries ANKA-S Head-to-head comparisons
Switchblade 600 vs
Shahed-136 
Lancet-3 
Harop 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 90,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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