Lithuania receives first batch of Switchblade 600 loitering munitions — AeroTime
The Lithuanian Armed Forces have received the first batch of U.S.-made AeroVironment Switchblade 600 loitering munitions. It arrived at the country’s military warehouses, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence reported on October 7. According to AeroTime, the delivery took place more than two years after the manufacturer announced the expected start of supplies.
Contract worth about €45 million
Lithuania became the first country after the United States to order Switchblade 600 systems. At the end of 2022, it signed an agreement with the U.S. government for a purchase worth approximately €45 million. The contract also includes launch and control equipment, a personnel training simulator, and a maintenance package.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the new drones would give the military a new strike capability and enable it to quickly and accurately engage enemy armored vehicles from a safe distance.
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Range of more than 40 kilometers
Switchblade 600 is a loitering munition launched from a tubular launcher to engage armored and other protected targets beyond the range of conventional anti-tank weapons. According to AeroVironment, the system can remain airborne for more than 40 minutes, while its basic range exceeds 40 kilometers. The use of a data-link relay can extend the range to more than 90 kilometers.
The munition is equipped with an anti-tank warhead and electro-optical and infrared sensors for detecting and tracking stationary or moving targets. It can attack armored vehicles from above, where protection is usually weaker.
During a visit by a Lithuanian delegation to AeroVironment’s plant in California in December 2023, the company’s CEO, Wahid Nawabi, said the systems would be delivered in 2024. Lithuania has not publicly disclosed the number of munitions covered by the contract. The procurement also provides for the delivery of smaller Switchblade 300 systems, funded through U.S. military assistance.
