The United States has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of Switchblade loitering munitions to Greece, the U.S. State Department stated.
The department said it had made a determination approving the sale and had notified Congress, the standard step before such a deal can proceed. The estimated total cost is $80.1 million.
According to the notification, Greece has requested to buy 350 Switchblade 300 Block 20 Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems and 35 fire control systems. The package also includes Switchblade 600 munitions and their fire control systems, tactical and smart battery chargers, spares, training, field service representative support, and engineering, technical and logistics support.
The State Department said the sale would support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that it described as a continuing force for political and economic stability in Europe. According to the department, the sale would improve Greece’s capability to deter current and future threats, support coalition operations and increase interoperability with the United States, adding that Greece would have no difficulty absorbing the equipment and that the sale would not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor will be AeroVironment of Simi Valley, California. The department said it was not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with the sale, and that implementation would not require the assignment of additional US government or contractor representatives to Greece.
The Switchblade 300 is a man-portable loitering munition, a small tube-launched aircraft that carries a warhead and is flown into its target, combining the roles of a reconnaissance drone and a guided weapon. The larger Switchblade 600 is an anti-armour variant with a heavier warhead and longer range. Both types have been supplied in quantity to Ukraine since 2022 and have become among the more widely recognised examples of the loitering munitions now reshaping ground combat.
Foreign Military Sale notifications set out the maximum scope and value of a proposed deal and do not represent a concluded contract. The quantities and final cost can change during negotiations between the purchaser and the manufacturer, and congressional notification allows a set period for review before the sale advances.
