Ukrainian Defense Forces have been using Switchblade 300 loitering munitions from US-based AeroVironment for a while now: the first videos of Special Operations Forces using this portable suicide drone appeared in May 2022. However, footage of the combat application of this weapon gets to the open media quite seldom which has caused suggestions and misunderstandings about Switchblades.
Now we have an opportunity to make things clear thanks to the interview published by NIP Tysk media who had a talk with one of the Switchblade 300 operators. The Ukrainian soldier shared quite a few things about this drone, which Defense Express summarized below.
Read more: Ukrainian SOF Shows Combat Use of a Switchblade 300 Drone in Offensive (Video)
For starters, this suicide drone is used by the following Ukrainian services: Security Service of Ukraine (counter-intelligence), Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This list already implies that it's not an ordinary general-purpose flying grenade.
If we want to find out, what is the most effective way to use a Switchblade, we should consider these factors. First, the range of effect of a Switchblade 300 is similar to a 30mm underbarrel grenade, with the optional proximity fuze at a selectable distance from the target.
Secondly, this loitering munition "requires that you know exactly where it must land on", says the operator adding that the drone has a poor camera that is not good for searching the target, thus reconnaissance is an important part of a successful strike. The location of the target must be known in advance.
Thirdly, Switchblade has limited maneuverability, so the flight adjustment is strained. For that reason, the target should be static or slow-moving at most. For instance, a car moving at a high speed is too difficult of a target for Switchblade.
Therefore, it should be used against unprotected stationary targets of high priority, the drone operator notes, such as observation points, signal intelligence and electronic warfare stations, airspace monitoring systems, any sort of expensive equipment, or specific high-ranking enemy personnel.
"This would be the most optimal way to use a Switchblade," the operator concludes.
An example of an efficient way of Switchblade 300 application against a russian Grenadyor surveillance system.
If that is how things are, a new question comes up: why then do we sometimes see the expensive and scarce Switchblade 300 being used against russian entrenched infantry – the interviewed drone operator explains that different units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces have different access to this weapon. Some get overequipped which leads to less responsible application.
"To strike down ordinary infantrymen in trenches is extravagance, stupidity, and lack of professionalism," the operator says.
There was also a question of whether Switchblade has ever been used against enemy UAVs. The operator said he didn't recall such instances but generally "fighting drones would have a too low chance of effectiveness and a too high price to ever try."
In this context, we should recall that russians claimed their Lancet loitering munitions were capable of taking down Ukraine's Bayraktar TB2 drones, however, for some reason forgot about this unique capability when faced against air raids of Bayraktar drones on the frontlines.
For the bottom line, let's make things transparent with a full quotation of the Switchblade operator:
"Overall, I evaluate the effectiveness as high. Using Switchblade is pleasant. If you know its abilities, strong and weak points, understand what it can do, it will most likely make it happen. Do not expect from it anything beyond what it is intended to do (unfortunately, it happens all the time in our army). We have to explain, argue, get our point through to the people that it is a peculiar weapon designed for peculiar tasks. When it's used professionally and correctly, based on its professional abilities, it becomes a splendid supplement to the spectrum of means to strike down the enemy."
Read more: US Reveals the Huge Amount of Switchblade Kamikaze Drones Given to Ukraine
