The Switchblade-600 is part of a new batch of weapons included in a $300 million aid package announced by the Pentagon on a Friday night. The plan calls for purchases directly from industry rather than pulling from existing stockpiles (Bloomberg reports). The White House had already disclosed that 100 unmanned aerial vehicles were drawn from current reserves to support Ukraine as part of an $800 million relief package, though these early systems come from the 300 series. These are compact drones weighing about 3.3 pounds and designed for attacks on personnel and light vehicles. Their operational range is roughly six miles, and they can hover above a target for around 15 minutes, according to AeroVironment Inc.
A newer 50-pound model, developed by a California-based company in Simi Valley, expands the envelope. It can fly beyond 24 miles and stay aloft for about 40 minutes before engaging a target with an anti-tank warhead. The operator controls it via a touchscreen fire-control tablet, with the option to manually steer a stray missile if needed.
Sources describe an earlier bomber version in service with U.S. special forces in Afghanistan, where officials called it a flying shotgun. Senior Republican lawmakers have repeatedly urged for a model anti-tank drone, including in a March 24 letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (as reported by defense observers).
Turkish Bayraktar and Switchblade-300
Konstantin Sivkov, a leading figure in Russian military scholarship, noted that the Switchblade-300 supplied to Ukraine is a small device with capabilities far from its larger kin. He suggested it could threaten tanks and other armored vehicles in massed salvos.
The Switchblade-300 is described as actionable even against light arms. The expert highlighted that these drones are often deployed in volleys rather than as solitary units, increasing their disruptive potential on the battlefield.
Regarding the Switchblade-600, its greater size means it could be targeted by automatic anti-aircraft fire. If such ammunition appears with Ukrainian forces, air defense arrays would need expansion to counter the threat.
Alongside Sustalı, Ukrainian forces rely on Turkish Bayraktar drones. Moscow has repeatedly claimed the destruction of such UAVs during the ongoing military operation in Ukraine. A veteran analyst and editor noted that Turkish drones are not the decisive game-changers some believed, and the same risk applies to Switchblade drones, which are highly susceptible to Russian air defenses including MANPADS and short-range missiles.
Russian drones
On March 30, Russia’s defense ministry released footage showing Orlan-10 drone crews in action, highlighting reconnaissance flights and monitoring of humanitarian corridors used for evacuations and aid convoys. Earlier, on March 13, Moscow published video of the Forpost drone in a strike role, marking a shift toward mixed-use capabilities.
The ministry described a multi-launch rocket system that was neutralized by an unmanned aerial vehicle operating with precision-guided munitions from an altitude above 3,000 meters. The defense ministry also released imagery of the Orion attack drone, developed by Kronstadt in 2011. Orion features a wingspan of 16.3 meters, a length of 8 meters, and a take-off weight around 1,000 kilograms. It can carry up to 200 kilograms of payload, including air-dropped bombs or guided missiles, and can reach speeds up to 200 kilometers per hour with a stated operational radius of 300 kilometers and endurance of up to 24 hours.
At the end of March, a columnist for the American publication The National Interest noted that Russia’s operation in Ukraine heavily relies on unmanned systems. The piece highlighted drones like Orion, Orlan, Eleron, and Tachyon in roles such as convoy protection, anti-sabotage reconnaissance, artillery detection, fire adjustment, and direct strike missions (as discussed in defense analysis circles).
Related posts:
Rewritten on Switchblade Drones and Their Role in Ukraine Lithuania to Receive Switchblade 600 Drones from the USA in 2024 New Russian kamikaze drones to front from a single center, says developer NATO’s Role in Strengthening Ukraine’s Anti-Drone Defenses Night drone attacks across Russian regions and regional responses Expanded view on drone warfare and electronic countermeasures Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Claim Downing Over Russia and the Ongoing Drone Dossier U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine: Drone Deliveries and the 2 Billion Package Drone Power and the Evolution of Modern Warfare Germany and Turkish Elections: A Closer Look for Voters Abroad Ukraine War: Drones, Transparency, and AI on the Modern Battlefield Bryansk Drone Attacks Met by Strong Air Defense