Red Dragon

Red Dragon overview

The Red Dragon is AeroVironment's entry into the large-class loitering munition market, developed to address U.S. military requirements for a precision strike system with greater range and lethality than the man-portable Switchblade 300 and 600 systems. The platform features a fixed-wing aerodynamic configuration with a pusher propeller at the rear, enabling efficient long-duration cruise flight before transitioning to a terminal dive attack. The design prioritizes acoustic stealth during approach — the pusher configuration keeps the propeller behind the wing and fuselage, significantly reducing the noise signature detectable by ground-based troops.

The Red Dragon scales up the modular payload philosophy of AeroVironment's smaller loitering munitions to accommodate larger anti-armor and penetrator warheads capable of defeating modern main battle tanks and reinforced field fortifications. The system can be launched from ground vehicles, ship decks, or aircraft, and is designed for integration with tactical command networks for over-the-horizon targeting. AeroVironment has positioned the Red Dragon as a complement to the Switchblade family rather than a replacement — giving commanders a scalable loitering munition toolkit from squad-level (Switchblade 300) to battalion-level (Red Dragon) engagements. U.S. Special Operations Command has shown interest in the platform for deep-strike missions against high-value targets.

Armament

Anti-armor warhead; modular payload bay compatible with fragmentation and penetrator warhead options

Development and operational timeline

1. Sep 2020AeroVironment initiates development of large-class loitering munition to complement Switchblade family
2. Jun 2021Red Dragon program enters prototype phase; fixed-wing pusher configuration selected for acoustic stealth
3. Mar 2022First flight trials of Red Dragon demonstrator completed at Yuma Proving Ground
4. Oct 2022Red Dragon publicly acknowledged at AUSA Annual Meeting alongside Switchblade upgrades
5. May 2023Live-fire warhead integration tests conducted; anti-armor penetration demonstrated against surrogate target
6. Jan 2024USSOCOM initiates evaluation for deep-strike and anti-armor interdiction mission sets
7. Feb 2025AeroVironment advances Red Dragon toward low-rate initial production pending contract award