According to various American media reports, the announced military assistance to Ukraine from the US government includes Switchblade barrage ammunition in the amount of 100 complexes. In general, the $800 million aid package also includes portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, ballistic body armor and other elements.
Barrage ammunition (BB) refers to remotely controlled high-precision systems that can be launched without pre-set target coordinates. In the future, the BB is able to circle over the target area for a long time and attack it after detection at the operator's command. In addition to defeating enemy combat formations, BB can also be used for reconnaissance purposes.
It is characteristic that in the newsletter published by the White House in connection with the announced delivery, BB is not directly mentioned. Instead, there is a note that a total of 100 unspecified "tactical unmanned aerial vehicles" will be included in the delivery. Literally within a day, numerous media representatives with reference to knowledgeable circles reported that this is a product of the California company AeroViroment. Among other things, the American news portal Politico, with reference to a member of the US Congress in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, directly reported on the Switchblade ("Folding knife") barrage ammunition.
Switchblade 300 Barrage Ammunition
Based on the parameters of the system circulating in the media, it can be assumed that a smaller version, known as Switchblade 300, is planned to be transferred to Ukraine. The system has been adopted by the US Army since 2011. The total volume of the arsenal totals several thousand pieces. According to the manufacturer, the Switchblade 300 barrage ammunition, including the launcher, has a mass of 2.5 kg, a flight range of 10 km, a maximum flight time of 15 minutes at a speed of 100 km / h. BB transmit video and corresponding location data in real time, which allows you to conduct reconnaissance far beyond the line of sight.
The sensors are stabilized day and infrared cameras with viewing angles from the front and side. Data transmission takes place via an encrypted digital communication channel with intelligent frequency control. At the same time, the detection and counteraction of the Switchblade 300 is extremely difficult due to the small size of the BB and greatly reduced acoustic and thermal visibility. Due to the small overall length of 66 cm, the ammunition can be carried by military personnel in a backpack and delivered to the launch site without involving vehicles. According to experts, the effective power of the warhead is estimated to be equal to a 40-mm grenade, which, in addition to being used against manpower, with a certain chance of success, allows you to fight with the upper armor of easily protected military equipment.
At the same time, the media does not exclude that American military assistance may also include a larger and more powerful Switchblade 600 barrage munition. The product has a starting mass almost 10 times greater than that of the Switchblade 300, and has much higher TTX. It is known that the first two batches of Switchblade 600 were ordered by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) only in 2021. The contract runs until 2023, so it is not known how many systems have already been delivered under the contract.
According to the materials ресурсаsoldat-und-technik.de
