A video appeared on the network shows russian soldiers disassembling the American-made Switchblade 600 suicide drone manufactured by AeroVironment. According to Bild, it is the first documented use of this drone by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Moreover, the drone is equipped with 3 “aero-naut CAM Carbon” folding propellers produced by German company Aero-naut Modellbau. It’s a German company that specializes in designing and manufacturing model airplane and boat kits, as well as model components such as electric motors, speed controllers, and propellers. But the company has stated that it never intended for its products to be used for military purposes, and has expressed concern over the use of its products in military applications without its knowledge or consent.
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In April 2022, the US announced its intention to provide Ukraine with the Switchblade 600 drones, but the delivery was delayed. Instead, smaller Switchblade 300 UAVs were delivered last summer. Later, the Minister Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Resnikov, stated that the country would receive the much-needed Switchblade 600 drones “in a few weeks”. But there was no sign of delivery in the coming months. Bild states that the Security Service of Ukraine has already used this UAV, relying on video posted on March 9, 2023, showing the destruction of Buk-M2 and S-300 systems.
The Switchblade 600 is a loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, developed by AeroVironment. It is designed to provide troops with a rapid, lethal, and precise response to threats on the battlefield.
It has a range of up to 40 kilometers and can fly for up to 40 minutes. The Switchblade 600 is launched from a tube and can be remotely controlled by a soldier on the ground, allowing for precision targeting.
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