The latest weapon pack for Ukraine includes a new tactical UAV Phoenix Ghost.
“This particular drone has been designed around a set of requirements very close to what Ukrainians currently need in the Donbass. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said it was built specifically for Ukraine.”
At the same time, Kirby emphasized that this UAV was in development long before the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. “Probably an old order from Kiev. But deliveries have just begun. Another option is that the UAVs are not made specifically for Ukraine, but announce it because of public influence, ”the American portal Defense News said.
Phoenix Ghost was created by Californian company AEVEX Aerospace, whose representatives say this drone offers “a complete range of solutions for both reconnaissance and attack functions.”
John Kirby, on the other hand, said that Phoenix Ghost, like almost all unmanned systems, has optical intelligence. “So it can be used as a scout, but its main purpose is to hit the enemy,” Kirby said.
Additionally, he stated that he “has no idea why Phoenix Ghost got such a name, and it doesn’t seem quite right.” As you know, the legendary Phoenix bird respawns every time after death, and Kirby remembered that the Phoenix Ghost UAV is a one-time assault weapon.
Citing its own sources at the Pentagon on the Fortune portal, the drone is similar to drones like the Switchblade. These are stray ammunition that the US has already supplied to Ukraine.
According to the Pentagon, the new system will require minimal training for Ukrainian operators who are already familiar with Switchblade and other drones.
“It is worth noting that under the name Switchblade there are not one, but two models with an index of 300 and 600, respectively, built according to general principles, but at the same time quite different in weight and size characteristics. . Designed to defeat enemy manpower, the young model has a take-off weight of about 2.5 kg and is capable of performing flights of a maximum of 15 minutes within a radius of up to 10 km. The old model already has a mass of 22.7 kg and is able to stay in the air for up to 40 minutes, operates in a radius of up to 40 km, and the tandem fragmentation-cumulative warhead borrowed from Javelin allows you to hit armored vehicles, ” editor-in-chief socialbites.ca magazine “Unmanned Aviation” told Denis Fedutinov.
As the interlocutor of the publication noted, it is not clear which of the two mentioned UAVs is closer in capabilities to the new Phoenix Ghost UAV. It is possible that the new system will also have various modifications.
“In addition, it is not clear what type this aircraft is. It is not necessary to use the aircraft type and tandem wing, as in the Switchblade. The new device can be built, say, on the basis of a multi-rotor drone – there are examples of such systems in the world, ”says Denis Fedutinov .
According to the expert, there can be several explanations for the emergence of a separate system created specifically for Ukraine. In particular, this may be due to the Pentagon’s concerns about the possibility of systems directly used by the US military entering the Russian army or units of the DPR and LPR.
“Also, American developers can go the way of reducing the cost of this model compared to the Switchblade. This can be achieved by replacing a number of on-board subsystems, for example, control systems, communication systems, with cheaper ones, ”Fedutinov says.
Source: Gazeta
