Pentagon’s ‘Switchblade 600’ Drone Gets Funding for China Fight
- AeroVironment Inc. makes the tank-busting now used in Ukraine
- Replicator program aimed at helping counter China in future
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A tank-destroying drone known for helping Ukraine push back on Russian advances is getting a major infusion of support — as part of an accelerated Pentagon effort to prepare for a possible conflict with China.
The 50-pound (23 kilogram) Switchblade 600 is the first of a new wave of lower-cost autonomous weapons the Pentagon is publicly acknowledging it’s funding through its Replicator program — an effort to field new systems by August 2025 to help counter Chinese capabilities.