Switchblade 400
AeroVironment's anti-tank loitering munition; 65 km range; selected for US Army's LASSO at $1.2bn ceiling.
Last refreshed: 10 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What does the Switchblade 400 winning LASSO mean for US brigade-level anti-tank reach?
Timeline for Switchblade 400
Selected by US Army for LASSO OTA with $1.2B programme ceiling
Drones: Industry & Defence: Switchblade 400 wins Army LASSO at $1.2bn ceilingWhat is the AeroVironment Switchblade 400?
What is the difference between Switchblade 300, 400, and 600?
How much is the US Army spending on the Switchblade 400 LASSO programme?
Background
The Switchblade 400 is AeroVironment's anti-tank loitering munition, the mid-range member of the company's Switchblade family. With a 65 km range, 35-minute endurance, and 39 lbs all-up weight, the 400 is deployable by a single soldier in under five minutes and carries day-night electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors with autonomous target recognition. It bridges the gap between the lighter Switchblade 300 (anti-personnel, ~6 km range) and the heavier Switchblade 600 (anti-armour, ~40 km range).
On 4 May 2026, the US Army selected the Switchblade 400 under the Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) Other Transaction Authority, with a planned programme ceiling of approximately $1.2 billion through FY2031 and an FY2027 procurement request of $110 million . The selection gives AeroVironment simultaneous Army programmes across all three Switchblade variants, the broadest US loitering munition coverage on offer, and extends anti-tank loitering reach at brigade level from roughly 10 km to 65 km.
The Switchblade 400 joins a family already running under an $1 billion August 2024 contract and a $186 million February 2026 delivery order for the 300 and 600 variants. The LASSO programme sits within the same Gauntlet II munitions architecture as the Pentagon's Lethality Prize.