US drones used by Ukraine

2023-05-18 20:42:17, Kosova & Bota CNA

At the end of April, a more powerful model of an American drone appeared on the battlefield in Ukraine. The "Switchblade 600" drone is an improved variant of the "Switchblade 300" model. A VOA team visited the drone manufacturing plant in Los Angeles, California.

The United States has sent Ukraine drones of the "Switchblades" model, with modern technology, to help it fight against Russia. These drones are manufactured in California by AeroVironment.

Two types of drones, the Model 300 and the more powerful Model 600, also known as 'kamikaze drones', were sent to Ukraine in early spring 2022 and are reportedly being used on the battlefield. The smaller Model 300 can easily be carried by a soldier.

"This model is built inside a tube that weighs 2.5 kilograms and the whole drone weighs 5 kilograms. A single soldier can carry the drone in his backpack. It takes about two minutes to get the drone ready for a mission," says John Aldana, Switchblade program manager.

The advanced "Switchblade 600" drone flies at a speed of up to 185 kilometers per hour. After reaching the destination, the drone hovers tracking the target and sends back images of the scene. When the target is detected and consent is obtained, the drone crashes into it and explodes.

The Switchblade 600 is larger and more advanced than its predecessor, the 300. The 600 is heavier but more portable. It can stay in the air longer and is powerful to penetrate tanks.

One of the most unique features of these drones is the ability to hover in the air and find the best angle before hitting the target.

"Maybe the target is moving and it's hard to hit it. As the drone hovers, the remote controller waits for the most opportune moment to eliminate it,” says John Aldana, Switchblade program manager.

According to the company, the United States has sent over 1,000 such drones to Ukraine.

Switchblade CEO Wahid Nawabi tells VOA that his company's drones show how a relatively low-cost, portable weapon with 'intelligent' capabilities can compete with weapons used by larger armies.

"The war in Ukraine is the best example of how a country or smaller army can fight a superpower. The main thing is the spirit of those people. In second place are weapons. The drones and weapons we produce have been extremely successful and an example for change."

He says that such technologies can be a decisive factor in the coming months./ REL