U.S. sends 100 killer drones called Switchblades to Ukraine
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AeroVironment Switchblade 600 Drone
Courtesy: AeroVironment
WASHINGTON – The U.S. included 100 killer drones in a colossal weapons package for Ukraine that President Joe BidenOfficials from the United States confirmed Wednesday that approval was granted earlier in this month.
Celeste Wallander (assistant secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs) told Congress that Kyiv requested the weapons which were dubbed “kamikaze robots.” it fights off a Russian invasion.
Wallander testified before the House Armed Services Committee that 100 Switchblade tactical unmanned air systems have been committed to delivery in the latest package of presidential drawdown.
“We heard you Ukrainians, and take your request seriously,” she stated.
John Kirby, the Pentagon’s spokesperson, stated last week to reporters that drones were expected to arrive in Ukraine within the next few days. He did not elaborate.
The decision to equip Ukraine with killer drones, dubbed Switchblade, follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request to U.S. lawmakers for additional military equipment.
The deployment of Switchblades in the Ukraine fight could have been the most important use of these weapons, since it’s not known how many times the U.S. military used them on the battlefield.
AeroVironmentAmerican-based manufacturer of the weapon, ARM, refused to comment.
‘Kamikaze drones’
The Switchblade 300 is one variant, while the Switchblade 600 is another. There was no way to know which variant the U.S. had sent to Ukraine.
It is specifically designed for small goals. The 300 variant can be carried in a backpack, is just over 5 lbs and covers a distance of 10 miles.
It is intended to be used against tanks and armored vehicles. It is slightly larger than 120 lbs and can travel more than 40 mi.
Switchblades come equipped with navigational systems, cameras and guided explosives. They can also be programmed so that they automatically strike targets far away, or allow the operator to hover above it until an operator strikes.
Once the targeted target is hit, the weapons systems 300 and 600 are both destroyed. Every Switchblade can be used as a single-use drone or as a “kamikaze”, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle.
These weapons are cheaper than firing two Hellfire missiles, which is what defense giants make. Lockheed MartinGeneral Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone. It is expected that the Switchblade 300 will cost $6,000 according to an NBC News report.
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