AUSA 2025: New Switchblade 400 loitering munition extends standoff anti-armor power to squads.

AeroVironment’s new Switchblade 400 made its public debut at AUSA 2025 in Washington, D.C., introducing a man-portable, medium-range loitering munition built for anti-armor strikes. The system’s 65 km reach, 35-minute endurance, and Nett Warrior and ATAK integration aim to push precision effects to small units while keeping operators outside most direct-fire threats.

AeroVironment lifted the curtain on the Switchblade 400 at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting, presenting a “lightweight tank destroyer” that pairs a sub-40-pound all-up round with a 65 km engagement envelope and 35 minutes of endurance. Company materials describe a rocket-launched, tube-packaged munition that a single operator can set up in under five minutes, then hand off across the network if needed to extend useful distance. The 400 adds a gyrostabilized EO and IR sensor suite with aided target recognition, day identification at 5.5 km and night identification at 1.4 km, plus a MOSA-based open compute environment intended for rapid upgrades and easy interoperability with soldier systems like Nett Warrior and ATAK via the TA5 controller.
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The Switchblade 400 follows a MOSA approach with an open computing environment and model-based engineering, to ease integration of common subsystems, shorten upgrade cycles, and support interoperability within already fielded ecosystem (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The mission profile combines a rapid transit with a loiter phase over the area of interest to refine the designation. Stated speeds are around 70 miles per hour while loitering and above 90 miles per hour in the terminal sprint, reducing the interval between the decision to engage and impact. The 65 kilometer range supports employment where the operator remains outside direct threats, with the option to hand off control to another operator closer to the objective to extend useful distance when the situation allows. In this logic, the sensor and onboard computing chain and platform stability support identification and tracking throughout the sequence.

The optronic fit combines a gyrostabilized electro-optical and infrared turret with pan-tilt articulation and an aided recognition algorithm set. Performance markers are provided for detection and identification at 5.5 kilometers on the day channel and 1.4 kilometers in infrared, enabling positive work on the target before a final decision. Aided Target Recognition functions rely on edge computing by day and by night, with a human operator remaining in the loop during the terminal approach. This combination is intended to align sensor perception, classification, and attack execution without shifting to a fully autonomous strike.

At the architectural level, the Switchblade 400 follows a MOSA approach with an open computing environment and model-based engineering, in order to ease integration of common subsystems, shorten upgrade cycles, and support interoperability within already fielded ecosystems. The system interfaces with existing tactical networks, including Nett Warrior compliance and ATAK integration through the TA5 controller grip. Data links and radios are presented as radio-agnostic, with compatibility across multiple families to leverage equipment already carried by forces. This orientation seeks to rationalize the load at the soldier level by using command and control and communications means already in service.

Robustness in contested environments is a core axis. The manufacturer indicates maintained connectivity and pointing accuracy in contexts of jamming, partial denial, or reduced GPS availability. This resilience also covers the launch phase, with testing on various ground types and employment modes suited to differing weather and terrain conditions. Compatibility with the Common Launch Tube opens access to a wide set of carriers, from crewed and uncrewed aircraft to land and maritime platforms equipped with standard modules, which simplifies integration without major modifications. Standardization also supports employment concepts that combine indirect fire, reconnaissance, and opportunistic strikes at depth.

The lethal segment is oriented toward neutralizing armored targets, with terminal effects calibrated for penetration and the stoppage of protected platforms. The documentation describes the ability to prosecute moving and high-value targets, which requires stable sensor conduct, margins for terminal maneuver, and contained decision timelines. The overall intent is to make precision effects available at the infantry echelon that were previously associated with larger systems, while maintaining positive identification requirements. The concept of employment also anticipates scenarios where the munition complements existing capabilities, whether in anti-armor teams, reconnaissance units, or combined arms detachments operating on fragmented fronts.

For the user, the stated interest rests on portability, rapid setup, and integration within theater digital networks. The sub-40-pound weight and tube packaging support mobility and replenishment, while the controller grip and software interfaces enable information to circulate across command chains already in use. At depth, the 35-minute endurance provides observation windows sufficient to confirm target nature, assess the environment, and synchronize the strike with other effects, including ground maneuver or supporting fires.

AeroVironment remains the designer and integrator of the Switchblade 400 and positions this system within a family that emphasizes modularity, interoperability, and adaptability. Proliferation depends on national acquisition decisions and operational feedback that shape requirements for anti-armor loitering munitions. The presentation at AUSA 2025 indicates an effort to place on the shelf a portable medium-range option equipped with EO and IR sensors and aided recognition and with endurance aligned to engagements beyond line of sight, which clarifies prospects for controlled diffusion among forces seeking a precise tool that integrates with existing tactical networks.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.