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 ceiling- What is the AeroVironment Switchblade 400?
- The Switchblade 400 is AeroVironment's mid-range anti-tank loitering munition with a 65 km range, 35-minute endurance, and 39 lbs weight. A single soldier can deploy it in under five minutes. It was selected for the US Army's LASSO programme in May 2026.Source: AeroVironment press release, 4 May 2026
- What is the difference between Switchblade 300, 400, and 600?
- Switchblade 300 is a lightweight anti-personnel munition (~6 km range), Switchblade 400 is the anti-tank mid-range system (65 km range, selected for LASSO), and Switchblade 600 is the heavy anti-armour variant (~40 km range). AeroVironment now has all three running simultaneously in US Army programmes.Source: AeroVironment
- How much is the US Army spending on the Switchblade 400 LASSO programme?
- The Army is requesting $110 million in FY2027 procurement for LASSO, with a planned total programme ceiling of approximately $1.2 billion through FY2031. AeroVironment did not disclose the prototype OTA contract value.Source: DefenseScoop / US Army budget request
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.