WASHINGTON (Washington Insider Magazine) – Two congressional officials informed on the subject told NBC News that the Biden administration is planning to send Ukraine the US killer drones – cutting-edge controlled missiles which can precisely strike Russian tanks and artillery sites from kilometers away.
Officials say the White House is considering equipping Ukraine with explosive-laden “loitering missiles,” known as Switchblades, as part of a special military aid package that President Joe Biden is slated to review on Wednesday.
The Switchblade 300 and 600 are two varieties of the weapon sold to the US Special Operations Command by AeroVironment, a company situated in the outskirts of Washington, D.C. The 300 is intended for precise attacks on troops, while the 600 is developed to destroy tanks and artillery and other armored vehicles.
In December, NBC News covered an exclusive presentation of the Switchblade 300. Officials from AeroVironment alleged at that point that the administration had prohibited them from exhibiting the 600.
The Switchblades are smart bombs that are robotic and outfitted with explosives, cameras, and navigation systems. They may be programmed to hit targets thousands of kilometers away and maneuver around targets until the timing is right to attack. The 600, according to the manufacturer, can keep flying for 40 minutes and travel up to 50 miles.
They’ve been termed “kamikaze drones” since they’re single-use weapons. They are, however, thousands of times less expensive than the Hellfire missiles launched by US Reaper drones. According to some estimates, the 300 might cost as low as $6,000.
Both weapons could be assembled and fired from tubes in a matter of minutes. They fly far quicker than the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones which Ukraine has been deploying to inflict harm on Russia, and they might theoretically be able to breach Russia’s patchy air defenses.
If Ukraine receives the Switchblade, it might be the weapon’s most important usage in conflict to yet. According to people acquainted with the situation, the US military employed the Switchblade in limited combat situations in Afghanistan but did not publish the information.
