Brenda Marie Rivers
The U.S. Army has fielded a six-tube launcher that can fire AeroVironment-built missiles during forward-operating base defense missions, National Defense reported Tuesday.
Brett Hush, vice president of tactical missile systems at AeroVironment, said that special operations forces as well as the Army and Marine Corps have been using the small missiles for over seven years. He added the new remote firing system can launch Switchblade’s Blackwing variant.
The nonlethal Blackwing version is intended for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance operations while Switchblade deploys GPS technology to deliver impact to beyond-line-of-sight targets or within 6.2 miles.
Last year, AeroVironment and General Dynamics’ land systems business formed a partnership to integrate the Switchblade missiles into the Army’s next-generation vehicles and the Marine Corps’ armored reconnaissance platforms.
