Russian soldiers captured for the first time a US Switchblade 600 suicide UAV in a nearly intact state on the battlefield in Donetsk province.
Video posted on social media on July 24 shows Russian soldiers examining a Switchblade 600 suicide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) neatly placed on a steel frame in the middle of a forest on the front line in Donetsk province.
The Switchblade 600's hull was broken in several places, but important components such as the optical-electronic and infrared sensor systems, main body with electronic equipment block, elevators, rudders and engines showed no signs of damage.
This is the second time Russian soldiers have captured a Switchblade 600 UAV supplied by the US to Ukraine, but the first time the aircraft has been found almost intact. This suggests that it was suppressed by electronic warfare systems and forced to land, rather than being shot down by air defenses or crashing into a target without exploding.
Switchblade 600 UAV captured by Russian forces in video posted on July 24. Video: Twitter/ClashReport
The capture of the relatively intact Switchblade 600 could allow Russian defense companies to research electro-optical sensor systems, an area where the country lags behind the West. It would also help Moscow find countermeasures against the suicide drones that Washington and its allies are providing to Kiev.
The Switchblade is a suicide UAV designed by AeroVironment and deployed by some US forces since 2011. The UAV is small enough to fit in a backpack and is deployed using a pneumatic launcher. The name Switchblade comes from the way the spring-loaded blades fold inside the launcher and then expand after deployment.
Switchblade is a single-use weapon, and the US military classifies it as a missile, not a regular UAV. The aircraft is equipped with a variety of cameras and a GPS satellite positioning system, allowing it to fly around the sky at the command of the operator, while also actively identifying targets for attack.
The ability to hover in the air gives this UAV an advantage over conventional missiles, which can only rush straight to the target after leaving the launch tube.
After identifying a target, Switchblade will rush in, activating its warhead to destroy enemy equipment and manpower. It can also ignore secondary targets or self-destruct to prevent unintended damage.
The situation of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Graphics: WP
Ukraine was the first country outside the United States to deploy this type of suicide UAV in combat, using the lightweight Switchblade 300 version to attack Russian soldiers and vehicles in the early stages of the conflict. However, the Switchblade 300 series soon disappeared due to limited aid and Russia's improved defense capabilities.
The first Switchblade 600s were delivered to Ukraine by the US in November-December 2022. This new and larger version weighs nearly 55 kg, has a maximum range of 40 km and can hover for 20 minutes searching for targets before attacking. Equipped with an anti-tank warhead similar to the Javelin missile, the Switchblade 600 is capable of destroying the most modern main battle tanks today.
Vu Anh (According to Eurasia Times )
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