Aerovironment Stock Price, News & Analysis

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Korean Air on October 21, 2025 to make Korean Air its priority partner in the Republic of Korea.

The alliance focuses on integrating AV’s JUMP 20 Group 3 VTOL fixed‑wing MUAS for Korean defense needs, joint R&D, sustained innovation, and local production to support the Korean Ministry of National Defense’s unmanned systems and domestic manufacturing goals.

The release highlights JUMP 20’s endurance, range, multi‑payload flexibility and notes recent European contract wins including Denmark and Italy.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) announced it was awarded a U.S. Army RCCTO contract and named lead software and systems integrator for the Human-Machine Integrated Formations (HMIF) Increment 1 program on October 20, 2025.

AV's Kinesis tactical mission planning and command-and-control software will provide a unified interface for mission planning, tactical awareness, autonomy management, payload control, and interoperability with TAK/ATAK. AV will leverage partnerships with Applied Research Associates' Neya Systems, Parry Labs, and QinetiQ to support HMIF prototype development and enable multi-vendor autonomous formations for armored and infantry units.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) announced an expanded collaboration with GrandSKY to deploy the Golden Dome for America limited area defense inner layer at Grand Forks Air Force Base on October 14, 2025. AV will install its Titan and Titan-SV RF detection platforms and integrate the AV_Halo COMMAND software to fuse sensor data for C-UAS and BVLOS airspace awareness.

The effort builds on a March 2025 MOU and supports Project ULTRA, a $110 million public‑private initiative; deployments expand counter‑UAS testing at GrandSKY’s 217‑acre flight center and aim to protect critical military infrastructure.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) appointed Mary Clum as President of its Space, Cyber & Directed Energy (SCDE) business segment, effective October 24, 2025. Clum reports to Chairman, President & CEO Wahid Nawabi and joined AV in May 2025 via the acquisition of BlueHalo.

Clum brings 25+ years of defense industry experience, directed energy and space systems expertise, and oversight of product innovation and manufacturing. Trip Ferguson will step down but remain briefly for transition. Michael Pace is elevated to Senior VP of Space & DE Mission Systems; Johnathan Jones leads Cyber and Mission Solutions.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) expanded its combat-proven Switchblade loitering munition family with three new variants: Switchblade 600 Block 2, Switchblade 400, and Switchblade 300 Block 20 with EFP. The announcements emphasize multi-domain lethality, MOSA-based integration, and improved operator UX.

Key specs disclosed include Switchblade 600 Block 2 with 20% longer endurance, 100+ km handoff/relay range and IP67 rating; Switchblade 400 at <40 lb AUR and soldier-deployable standoff in <5 minutes; Switchblade 300 Block 20 at 7.2 lb AUR, BLOS in <2 minutes and optional 30 km antenna. AV cited production growth from 40 to 240 systems/month and anticipates >1,200/month with new facilities and manufacturing investments.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) announced the VAPOR Compact Long Endurance (CLE), a Group 2 all-electric VTOL helicopter UAS focused on multi-mission military use.

Key product highlights include up to 2 hours flight endurance (about double typical Group 2 quad rotors), a 50% smaller packout (7 cubic feet, 35 pounds), NVIDIA ORIN onboard autonomy with ATR via AV_Halo VISION and WISARD AI/ML, MOSA modularity supporting 26 payloads, encrypted data link >10 km LOS, and compatibility with AV_Halo COMMAND.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) has secured a significant $499 million 10-year single-award IDIQ contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for the High-Performance Electromagnetic Spectrum Survivable Materials Advancement (HELMSSMAN) program.

The company has already received two initial task orders totaling $246 million: a $98 million order for Advanced Development of Vision Protection Materials and a $148 million order for Advanced Development of Materials for EMS Resilience. The work, beginning October 2025, focuses on developing protective solutions against electromagnetic radiation for warfighters.

AV will leverage its expertise in multi-domain operations and previous experience with AFRL to advance electronic protection materials through directed energy solutions, test range experience, and modeling capabilities.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) has unveiled significant enhancements to its Puma LE small unmanned aircraft system, introducing an integrated Laser Target Designator payload and Universal Gimbal Kit. The upgraded system features Trillium Engineering's HD59 Laser Target Designator payload, a sophisticated EO/IR gimbal system with multi-sensor capabilities.

The enhanced Puma LE now offers over 3.5 hours of flight endurance and includes advanced features such as a 50mj STANAG 3733-compliant laser designator, EO camera, and multiple infrared sensors. The Universal Gimbal Kit enables rapid field-level payload reconfiguration, allowing operators to adapt to changing mission requirements without depot-level support.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) has appointed Johnathan Jones as Senior Vice President of Cyber and Mission Solutions (CMS). Jones, a U.S. Air Force veteran and experienced defense executive with over two decades of experience, will lead the strategic direction and operations of CMS to enhance AV's cyber, mission-enabling, and national security capabilities.

Jones has served in multiple leadership roles at AV for the past 19 years, most recently overseeing the integration of more than 550 employees from the Defense and Interagency Services Business Unit (DISBU). A Tuskegee University graduate, Jones holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace science engineering and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.