The first shipment of the U.S.-made Switchblade 600 loitering ammunition provided by AeroVironment has reached the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ warehouses.
“The Switchblade 600 brings a new quality of strike capacity to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. This equipment enables military personnel to destroy armored equipment of hostile forces with precision and speed from a safe distance. Every procurement like this enhances deterrence and security of Lithuania. It stands as a clear testament to the Lithuanian-U.S. partnership,” says Minister of National Defence Robertas Kaunas.
The acquisition also covers drone launching and control equipment, a simulation system for personnel training and a maintenance package.
The Switchblade 600 is a next-generation long-range combat unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with exceptional precision optics, loitering capacity of up to 40 minutes and an effective anti-armor warhead for destroying heavy armored vehicles, including tanks. It is a kamikaze drone that can be used to neutralize targets by hitting them from above.
Lithuania has purchased approx. EUR 2 billion worth of weaponry and equipment from the U.S. over the past three years becoming the largest buyer among the Baltic states. So far, Lithuania has been buying the Javelin anti-tank systems, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicles JLTV, the Black Hawk helicopters, the HIMARS Rocket Artillery System, and the AMRAAM missiles for the medium-range NASAMS air defence systems, etc.
