Greece’s Government Council for Foreign and Defense Affairs (KYSEA) has approved the acquisition of Switchblade kamikaze drones for the Greek army.
Around 590 Switchblade 300 and Switchblade 600 loitering munitions from American drone manufacturer AeroVironment will be procured for the Hellenic ground forces and special operations units.
The drones are priced at 75.2 million euros ($78.8 million). However, Athens will contribute 25 million euros ($26.2 million), while the rest will be funded by US foreign military financing under the two countries’ mutual defense cooperation agreement, as reported by the Greek news publication Kathimerini.
Additionally, training simulators, handling modules, and a follow-up support program are included in the deal.
The Hellenic Republic planned to purchase AeroVironment’s Switchblade loitering munitions in September following its recent acquisitions of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and frigates from France to modernize its armed forces amid increasing regional threats.
Used By Allies
Aerovironment’s Switchblade drones are deployed in Ukraine’s armed conflict against Russia and selected for the Pentagon’s Replicator Initiative.
The Switchblade 600 model, weighing a total of 65 pounds (29.5 kilograms), was designed to strike armored vehicles and large targets beyond 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.
It can loiter at 70 miles (113 kilometers) per hour and sprint at 115 miles (185 kilometers) per hour.
Meanwhile, the lightweight and miniature Switchblade 300 drone is used against personnel and light combat vehicles. Its Block 20 version comes with enhanced features, such as a high-resolution EO/IR panning camera suite and longer endurance of over 20 minutes.
With a total weight of 7.2 pounds (3.27 kilograms), it can cruise at a speed of 63 miles (101 kilometers) per hour and dash at 100 miles (161 kilometers) per hour.
