VILNIUS — The Lithuanian Armed Forces have received the first batch of U.S.-made Switchblade 600 loitering munitions, adding a new long-range strike capability to the country’s military arsenal.
The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence confirmed the delivery on October 7. The systems are supplied by U.S. defence company AeroVironment and have now reached Lithuanian military warehouses. The exact number of systems in the first batch has not been disclosed.
The acquisition agreement, signed with the U.S. government in December 2022, is valued at approximately €45 million. It includes the loitering munitions, launch and control equipment, a technical maintenance package and an operator training simulator. Lithuania was the first country after the United States to order the Switchblade 600. Deliveries had originally been expected in 2024, with later updates pointing to 2025–2026.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the system provides the armed forces with a new strike capability against armoured vehicles. He said the Switchblade 600 allows troops to destroy armoured targets from a safe distance and added that such acquisitions strengthen Lithuania’s deterrence and security.
Switchblade 600 Capabilities
The Switchblade 600 is a tube-launched loitering munition designed mainly to engage heavy armoured targets, including tanks. The munition weighs about 15 kg, while the complete round with its launch tube weighs around 29.5 kg. The launcher tube is approximately 1.5 metres long.
It carries an anti-armour warhead based on the Javelin missile design and uses electro-optical and infrared sensors for targeting. The system has an endurance of more than 40 minutes and a baseline range of more than 40 km. With data-link handoff or forward-pass capability, its engagement range can extend beyond 90 km.
The Switchblade 600 has a loiter speed of about 113 km/h and a sprint speed of up to 185 km/h. It can be retargeted during flight, while setup and launch typically take less than 10 minutes from its self-contained tube. The system can be operated from ground positions, vehicles or other platforms.
Ukrainian forces have also used the Switchblade 600 in combat, including against Russian air-defence systems such as the Buk.
AeroVironment introduced the Switchblade 600 Block 2 in October 2025. The upgraded version offers about 20% greater endurance, exceeding 50 minutes, and a control range of more than 100 km with forward-pass capability. The systems delivered to Lithuania under the 2022 contract are from the original configuration, not Block 2.
Lithuania has purchased approximately €2 billion worth of U.S. weapons and military equipment over the past three years, making it the largest U.S. military equipment buyer among the Baltic states. Its other U.S. acquisitions include Javelin anti-tank systems, JLTV armoured vehicles, Black Hawk helicopters, HIMARS rocket artillery and AMRAAM missiles for NASAMS air-defence systems.
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