U.S. Marine Corps has selected Virgina-based defense contractor AeroVironment (AV) for its lightweight loitering munitions initiative, aimed at outfitting small military units with an armed drone for over-the-horizon firing tasks, the company said in a press release.
AV has competed with two other companies, Anduril Industries and Teledyne FLIR for the $8.9 million-first phase of the potential $249 million, five-year contract for the Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) program.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) supplier company’s switchblade 300 Block 20 loitering munition system (LMS) will provide the Marine Corps with organic, anti-armor/anti-personnel, precision fires capability at the tactical level, it said.
The Switchblade 300 Block 20 from AV backs the OPF-L program's call for a loitering munition that can be operated by individuals, carried by hand, and possesses a lightweight, precision-guided capacity to engage adversaries beyond line of sight. This system will guarantee that Marines have the necessary equipment and support for swiftly engaging targets, with precision, while reducing collateral damage and the risk posed by enemy weapons.
Loitering drones frequently come equipped with integrated warheads and engage a target by colliding with it. These are occasionally referred to as suicide or kamikaze drones.
AV’s Senior Vice President of LMS, Brett Hush said his company offers “a battle-proven and production-ready system to support OPF-L to meet the Marine Corps’ requirements.”
“Our mature and trusted manufacturing capability combined with world-class training and support will ensure Marine Infantry is adequately prepared for the fight,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.
“With over 6,000 Switchblade loitering missiles tested, produced, and fielded, AV is in a unique position to offer revolutionary organic precision fire capabilities to the USMC, leveraging the proven reliability, producibility and supportability of current Switchblade programs,” Hush said.
AV's Switchblade 300 has been utilized to support immediate operational requirements in combat zones since 2012. The Switchblade 300 Block 20 represents the evolution of this system, drawing on more than a decade of feedback from users, combat missions, and insights gleaned from the conflict in Ukraine, particularly regarding operations in contested environments.
The Block 20 version of the Switchblade system greatly enhances the capabilities of the existing Switchblade 300. It introduces features such as an armor-penetrating capability with an Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) warhead, expanded target attack angles, and substantially improved battery life, flight endurance, and radio communication range.
In 2019, the Marine Corps issued its inaugural request for information concerning the OPF-L system. Initially aimed at providing armed drone capabilities to light armored reconnaissance battalions, the mounted system saw further development. In 2021, Mistral Inc. and UVision LTD were awarded a contract to advance this system. The Marine Corps now intends for it to be integrated onto various platforms including the Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, and the Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel—a semi-autonomous watercraft under development.
