General Dynamics Land Systems has rolled out an upgraded version of PERCH, a bolt-on kit that lets M1A2 Abrams tanks and Stryker armored vehicles launch AeroVironment’s Switchblade 300 loitering munitions, small drones that can scout ahead of a vehicle and then dive onto a target as a guided weapon.
The company announced PERCH 2.0 in a post on X, saying the system it developed with AeroVironment has been upgraded for 2026, and released a short video showing the kit during testing.
PERCH stands for Precision Effects & Reconnaissance, Canister-Housed, and it is designed to give a tank or infantry carrier crew its own reconnaissance and strike capability well beyond what they can see from the vehicle. General Dynamics describes this as beyond line of sight surveillance and over-the-horizon lethality, which allows a crew to find and engage targets hidden behind hills, buildings or tree lines while the vehicle stays protected.
The upgraded kit is built for the M1A2 Abrams SEPv3, the latest version of the tank in U.S. Army service, and for the Stryker, the eight-wheeled armored vehicle that equips the service’s Stryker brigades.
General Dynamics and AeroVironment first showed PERCH at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual exhibition in October 2025, presenting it as a launcher for both the Switchblade 300 and the larger Switchblade 600, which is designed to hit armored vehicles. A General Dynamics official told Army Technology at the time that the canister was designed to hold one Switchblade 600 and three Switchblade 300s, while the 2026 announcement focuses on the Switchblade 300.
From the start, the kit was designed to be fitted quickly, without welding or cutting. On the Abrams, it replaces the loader’s sponson box, a storage bin on the side of the turret, and bolts onto existing attachment points, and General Dynamics said future versions would connect directly to the vehicle’s onboard computers.
During the U.S. Army’s Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper event at Fort Hood, Texas, held Oct. 26–30, 2025, users completed a complex obstacle breach while a Switchblade 300 and a Switchblade 600 launched from an Abrams through PERCH provided reconnaissance and targeting of high-value targets ahead of the force.
The Switchblade family has seen extensive combat use in Ukraine, where the United States began supplying the loitering munitions in 2022, and the U.S. Army has ordered Switchblades for its own units. PERCH brings that capability directly onto heavy armor, so crews can launch the drones from a protected vehicle instead of relying on dismounted soldiers.
General Dynamics officials said in 2025 that PERCH could also be adapted to other platforms, including the Light Armored Vehicle and the British Army’s Ajax.
Soldiers have already put the first version of the kit through a field exercise. During the U.S. Army’s Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper event at Fort Hood, Texas, on Oct. 26–30, 2025, an Abrams fitted with PERCH launched a Switchblade 300 and a Switchblade 600 to scout and target high-value objectives while troops completed a complex obstacle breach.
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General Dynamics Land Systems rolled out an upgraded version of the PERCH kit, enabling M1A2 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles to launch Switchblade 300 loitering munitions during the U.S. Army's Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper event at Fort Hood, Texas, from October 26 to 30, 2025. This upgrade enhances reconnaissance and strike capabilities, allowing crews to engage targets beyond line of sight.
- General Dynamics introduced an upgraded PERCH kit for M1A2 Abrams and Stryker vehicles.
- The kit allows launching of Switchblade 300 loitering munitions.
- PERCH enhances reconnaissance and strike capabilities beyond line of sight.
- The system was demonstrated during the U.S. Army's Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper event.
- The Switchblade family has been used extensively in combat in Ukraine.