What is Switchblade and how do Ukrainian Armed Forces use this kamikaze drone to defend against Russia

Switchblade 300 and 600: what's the difference

Barrage munitions (they are also called kamikaze drones) Switchblade is a tactical disposable unmanned aerial vehicle with an integrated warhead, created and manufactured by the American company AeroVironment. The peculiarity of this weapon is that the kamikaze drone can stay in the air for a certain period in the "waiting" mode in the area of ​​the target and attack it after a command from the operator.

Currently, the American company offers customers two variants of these kamikaze drones: the light Switchblade 300 and the heavy Switchblade 600.

The Switchblade 300 version is used to destroy enemy light armor and manpower.  Such a kamikaze drone has quite compact dimensions (length 610 mm) and weight (only 2.7 kg) and can be carried by one soldier. In the light version, this kamikaze drone can cover distances of up to 10 km, the time in the air is 10 minutes. Moreover, the targets can be destroyed both "live" by controlling the drone from the tablet, and by pre-programming the destruction of the object according to the specified coordinates. In addition, if necessary, the kamikaze drone operator can redirect it to another target, canceling the previous attack. In fact, Switchblade 300 is a kind of "hand grenade" that our military can send to the enemy at considerable distances.  By the way, it is quite silent thanks to its electric motor and directly during the attack on the target it develops a speed of up to 160 km/h.

At the same time, the Switchblade 600 has a Javelin-type anti-tank warhead and can destroy heavy armored vehicles of the Russian army, including tanks. This barrage ammunition is much heavier than its "younger brother" - with a weight of 23 kg, it is capable of destroying targets with an attack "from above" like the Javelin ATGM. The time in the air is 40 minutes, during which it can cover 40 km and also barrage in the air. The maximum attack speed is 185 km/h.

Destroy invaders with Switchblade kamikaze drone "eyes"

The first video directly from the camera of the Switchblade 300 kamikaze drone during an attack on the Russian military appeared at the end of May - footage from this barrage of ammunition was published by the Command of the Special Operations Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In the video, you can see how the kamikaze drone is heading straight for the tank on which the Russian military was sitting. It is difficult to say how seriously the car was directly damaged, but the occupants who settled on it turned into at least "three hundred". At the same time, the SSO Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces hinted that although the video from the camera of the barrage ammunition was being published for the first time, the use of this weapon for the Ukrainian military at that time was already an "established practice".

Later, the first video appeared on the network with all the interesting details of the use of the Switchblade 300 barrage ammunition by the Ukrainian military — from launch from a miniature mortar system to control from a tablet.

"Light" or "heavy": what kamikaze drones US supplies to Ukraine

As of July 8, the US Department of Defense reported the delivery of more than 700 Switchblade kamikaze drones, while it is currently unknown which part of these drones is the "older" anti-tank version of the Switchblade 600. As well as whether today the Armed Forces of Ukraine have a 23-kg version of this kamikaze drone in service.

The fact is that if there are no questions at all with the Switchblade 300 - these weapons are supplied from the reserves of the US Army and are in sufficient quantities in warehouses, then a small batch of Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones was purchased, which was used primarily for research and development. Therefore, the "older" version of this weapon must be supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces direction from the manufacturer. Due to the fact that the US military has not yet purchased the Switchblade 600 in significant quantities, each kamikaze drone is assembled at the factory by hand - because of this, the Armed Forces will probably receive an "anti-tank" version of the Switchblade kamikaze drone with a delay.