Ukraine to use baguette-sized Switchblade flying bombs to attack Russian tanks from above
The US has sent 100 of the weapons to aid in the war against Russia
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Your support makes all the difference.Ukraine is preparing to deploy a high-precision missile bomb that can autonomously scout out Russian targets.
The American-made Switchblades can be remotely-piloted or independently fly over enemy lines to identify and then hit battlefield command and control headquarters.
US President Joe Biden supplied Ukraine with 100 of the weapons for a cost of £600m.
The baguette-sized bombs, which can fit into a rucksack and are fired from a tube, weigh around 2.5kg and are 2’ long with foldable tandem wings.
Unlike most missiles, the Switchblade does not require a quarry before being launched, and has been fitted with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to seek stationary and moving targets.
Able to fly at speeds of 60mph for up to 15 minutes, the equipment relays real-time footage of the terrain to its controller.
Once it’s locked in on a target, it accelerates to 100mph before dropping and exploding on impact.
Military analysts say the weapons offer Ukrainian troops a major advantage as it allows them to survey and observe Russian military movements.
Commanders are also able to abort missions if they decide to spare their targets, whilst also able to continue pursuing its target even if attacked.
However, the Switchblade is rendered ineffective against armoured vehicles.
The first prototype successfully underwent military utility assessment in 2010, and were later test-launched by the US Marine Corps in 2015.
Ther were used by American soldiers throughout the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The US has already supplied shoulder-held anti-tank missiles that can launch rockets at targets some 4km away.
The Javelins have already been used in Ukraine, and can be controlled by a small portable unit.
President Biden has also provided 25,000 sets of body armour and helmets, rifles, grenade launchers and an array of weapons and ammunition.
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