The United States is sending a new weapon to Ukraine in the fight against Russia: the Switchblade drone. At least 100 of the loitering munitions (LMs) are being shipped from the US as part of an $800 million (£600 million) package of military aid. Switchblade, which is launched from a tube and is about the size of a baguette, is fitted with an explosive warhead. An operator flies the drone into an area of interest before detecting, identifying and attacking a target with lethal effect. Can it help win the war for Ukraine?
Designed and manufactured by California-based AeroVironment, there are multiple variants of the Switchblade drone. Initially, it seems most likely the Switchblade 300, a smaller variant of the drone, will be sent to Ukraine. With a range of 10km and a maximum flight time of 15 minutes, the drone will enable Ukrainian forces to target Russian troops with precision from a safe distance. Switchblade can be linked up with other intelligence-gathering drones on the battlefield to support the detection and identification of potential targets.
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