Switchblade UAVs to Provide Lethal Edge to Ukrainian Forces

Ukrainian forces will soon get something that will give them a technological edge over the vastly superior Russian Army- a Switchblade loitering munition that can hit targets beyond line of sight.

Hundred UAVs were included in the military aid package announced by U.S. President Joe Biden yesterday. Although the name or type of UAVs was not disclosed in the U.S. DoD press release, they are widely believed to the Switchblade tactical missile systems manufactured by AeroVironment.

Weighing only 2.5kg, the Switchblade 300 has a range of 10km and endurance of 15 minutes. It can fit inside a rucksack. The UAV can attain speeds of over 90kmph.

Backpackable and deployable from air, sea or ground platforms, Switchblade 300 delivers real-time GPS coordinates and video for precise targeting with low collateral effects.

Switchblade Sensor to Shooter (S2S) combines the ISR capabilities of AeroVironment’s small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS) with the precision strike capabilities of the Switchblade loitering missile system. Through S2S software, target coordinates are instantly transferred from the SUAS to Switchblade via machine-to-machine communication, reducing engagement timelines and operator cognitive load. S2S provides Switchblade operators with real-time video downlinks for a centralized view of the area of operation and the ability to scene-match SUAS ISR and Switchblade 300 camera feeds on one screen.