General Dynamics Land Systems, defense contractor, developing drone launcher for M1 Abrams tank

General Dynamics Land Systems wants to turn its M1 Abrams main battle tank into a rolling launcher of kamikaze drones.

The Michigan-based defense contractor recently announced a successful test of its Precision Effects and Reconnaissance, Canister-Housed (PERCH) system.

PERCH is a modular kit that integrates Switchblade loitering munitions into its top-of-the-line M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 main battle tanks and Stryker infantry vehicles. The system will provide armored troops with beyond line-of-sight surveillance capabilities and enhanced lethality, company officials said.

Mounting a PERCH system on a tank won’t require welding or cutting of the hull. It would replace an external storage container mounted on the turret known as a sponson box and would be bolted into place using existing attachment points, General Dynamics officials said.

“PERCH allows units to deploy Switchblade loitering munitions far forward on the battlefield while remaining covered and concealed themselves,” Jim Pasquarette, vice president for U.S. strategy and business development, said Friday in a statement.

General Dynamics Land Systems is partnering on the M1 Abrams drone project with AeroVironment, a California-based defense technology company that develops loitering munitions like the Switchblade 300 and 600 for the U.S. military and its allies.

“Integrating Switchblade 300 and 600 into General Dynamics Land Systems platforms through the PERCH modular kit delivers immediate operational advantages — extending reach and enabling rapid, precise effects from protected positions,” said Brian Young, senior vice president for loitering munitions systems at AeroVironment.

Drones have fundamentally changed the battlefield by providing persistent and affordable firepower that can make traditional defenses, such as trenches and armor, far more vulnerable. They have also forged new tactics such as swarm attacks on enemy troops.