A model of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 loitering munition on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army trade show in Washington, DC. The company deployed the munition from its Arcturus Jump 20 UAV for the first time. (Janes/Pat Host)

AeroVironment deployed its Switchblade 300 loitering munition from the company's Arcturus Jump 20 Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight for the first time in August.

Brett Hush, company vice-president and general manager for tactical missile systems, told Janes on 4 November that it is rare for a UAV similar in size to the Jump 20 to be armed. He said that it is more common for larger aircraft such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper to have weapons, but that these aircraft also require a larger ground footprint for support.

A model of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 loitering munition on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army trade show in Washington, DC. The company deployed the munition from its Arcturus Jump 20 UAV for the first time. (Janes/Pat Host)

AeroVironment deployed its Switchblade 300 loitering munition from the company's Arcturus Jump 20 Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight for the first time in August.

Brett Hush, company vice-president and general manager for tactical missile systems, told Janes on 4 November that it is rare for a UAV similar in size to the Jump 20 to be armed. He said that it is more common for larger aircraft such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper to have weapons, but that these aircraft also require a larger ground footprint for support.

A model of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 loitering munition on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army trade show in Washington, DC. The company deployed the munition from its Arcturus Jump 20 UAV for the first time. (Janes/Pat Host)

AeroVironment deployed its Switchblade 300 loitering munition from the company's Arcturus Jump 20 Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight for the first time in August.

Brett Hush, company vice-president and general manager for tactical missile systems, told Janes on 4 November that it is rare for a UAV similar in size to the Jump 20 to be armed. He said that it is more common for larger aircraft such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper to have weapons, but that these aircraft also require a larger ground footprint for support.

A model of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 loitering munition on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army trade show in Washington, DC. The company deployed the munition from its Arcturus Jump 20 UAV for the first time. (Janes/Pat Host)

AeroVironment deployed its Switchblade 300 loitering munition from the company's Arcturus Jump 20 Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight for the first time in August.

Brett Hush, company vice-president and general manager for tactical missile systems, told Janes on 4 November that it is rare for a UAV similar in size to the Jump 20 to be armed. He said that it is more common for larger aircraft such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper to have weapons, but that these aircraft also require a larger ground footprint for support.

A model of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 loitering munition on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army trade show in Washington, DC. The company deployed the munition from its Arcturus Jump 20 UAV for the first time. (Janes/Pat Host)

AeroVironment deployed its Switchblade 300 loitering munition from the company's Arcturus Jump 20 Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight for the first time in August.

Brett Hush, company vice-president and general manager for tactical missile systems, told Janes on 4 November that it is rare for a UAV similar in size to the Jump 20 to be armed. He said that it is more common for larger aircraft such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper to have weapons, but that these aircraft also require a larger ground footprint for support.

A model of the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 loitering munition on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army trade show in Washington, DC. The company deployed the munition from its Arcturus Jump 20 UAV for the first time. (Janes/Pat Host)

AeroVironment deployed its Switchblade 300 loitering munition from the company's Arcturus Jump 20 Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight for the first time in August.

Brett Hush, company vice-president and general manager for tactical missile systems, told Janes on 4 November that it is rare for a UAV similar in size to the Jump 20 to be armed. He said that it is more common for larger aircraft such as the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper to have weapons, but that these aircraft also require a larger ground footprint for support.