The US is supplying new war materiel to help Ukraine fight against Russia. These are high-tech ‘kamikaze drones’, as The New York Times reports. What is so dangerous and new about them, we explain here.
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US delivers dangerous high-tech ‘kamikaze drones’ to Ukraine
These drones are likely to be long-awaited by Ukraine, the United States promised the delivery of 100 heavy ‘Switchblades 600’ and 1,000 light ‘Switchblades 300’ a month ago.
Celeste Ann Wallander, assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, as reported by CNBC:
We have committed 100 Switchblade tactical unmanned aerial systems to be delivered in the most recent package of presidential drawdown
The Russian army has advanced further in the Donbas region and captured several large cities and villages, so the Ukrainian army could use these weapons to push back.
#Ukraine: Ukrainian SSO (SOF) published rare footage of a kamikaze drone in action, which we identied as a US-supplied Switchblade 300 - hitting a Russian T-72B3 tank with its crew on top.
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 24, 2022
The tank is unlikely to receive any serious damage, which cannot be said about the crew. pic.twitter.com/sRm5GQNRyL
What makes the Switchblades so dangerous?
These super-drones circle the war zone, identifying the most dangerous target. They can also assess whether there are civilians nearby in the event of an attack. The Switchblade then attacks the identified target in a dive. While the drone flies off, it extends its wings in a flash, according to Bild.
Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence said, as reported by The New York Times:
These were designed for U.S. Special Operations Command and are exactly the type of weapons systems that can have an immediate impact on the battlefield
While one of the drones attacks a tank, for example, others film the scene. The kamikaze drone, which swoops down on the object to destroy it, films until impact.
This article has been translated from Gentside DE.
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