Australia to acquire Switchblade 300 loitering munition

Australian soldiers will be equipped with US company AeroVironment’s Switchblade 300 Block 20 precision loitering munition, providing a critical combat edge and adding to drone capabilities available to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), says the Department of Defence. The first Switchblade 300 should be delivered to Australia later this year and introduced into service in 2025.

The Switchblade 300 Block 20 is a lightweight, precision loitering munition system with a 1.68kg munition, 30km range, 20+ minute endurance and a loiter speed or 101km/h. The system carries an Electro-Optic/Infrared panning camera for First Person View (FPV) attacks as well as reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition. It is tube-launched, can be fired from land, sea or mobile platforms and earlier versions have been used successfully in Ukraine, though the system has been criticised for being expensive for what it achieves..

“With autonomous weapon systems increasingly prevalent, the Defence Strategic Review made clear that new technology and asymmetric advantage are important priorities,” said Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy. “That’s why the Government is taking action to enhance the ADF’s use of drones. The delivery of this proven precision loitering munition demonstrates the speed at which we are introducing capabilities to the ADF.”

Defence released no information regarding numbers to be acquired, nor the cost of the deal. This acquisition will equip ADF personnel with world‑leading lethality and protection to ensure they are capable of successfully conducting tasks and maintaining an advantage against potential adversaries, the Department says.

Earlier media reports that the ADF would acquire Australian loitering munitions, and specifically the Innovaero OWL, seem to have been negated by this move. The government’s announcement makes no mention of Australian construction nor of any move to create or support a sovereign drone manufacturing industry despite considerable Defence-funded research by local companies and the purchase by the US and others of Australian DefendText Drone 40 and SYPAQ drones for use in Ukraine.