Nothing excavates a dug - in opposition foot position like a little heavy weapon flak , but that ’s not always uncommitted . Sure , you could squeeze off a Javelin troll or two but at $ 100,000 per shot , that ’s a pricey and cumbersome choice . Instead , the US armed forces has developed an ingenious firefight drone that can espy , scout , and prosecute target within minute of necessitate to the air .
The Switchblade UAV is a platoon - level ISR / attack drone develop by Aerovironment . Classified as a Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System ( LMAMS ) , the Switchblade has been in circumscribed deployment in Afghanistan since former 2012 , acting as both a reconnaissance mission lagger and guided ordnance for American soldier .
The Switchblade measures two feet long and weighs just under six pounds include its carrying case and tube launcher , making it svelte enough for a individual soldier to persuade . Its 10 minute loiter time detracts from the Switchblade ’s usefulness as a forward sentry , but in the centre of a firefight , its colour camera and GPS locating is more than sufficient to key out and track human and vehicle - sized targets up to three international mile ( 10 km ) away .
TheSwitchbladeis most useful , however , as a guided munition . It carries an explosive electric charge equivalent to a 40 mm grenade , allowing it to target lightly armored vehicle and embedded ( or otherwise inaccessible ) foot position , such as on rooftops or ridge phone line . What ’s more , the Switchblade ’s electrical propulsion organisation and small stature make is a sneaky little bastard , difficult to chase after and capable to glide silently in a windowpane before detonating .
https://gizmodo.com/these-drones-transform-into-suicide-bombs-5838724
Like Aerovironment ’s other UAVs — the RQ-11 Raven , RQ-20 Puma , and Wasp — the Switchblade uses AV ’s Ground Control Station , which means that a squad can plunge a Switchblade and Raven together , one for recon , the other for blow stuff up . And if the situation changes after the Switchblade has been launched , the operator can delete the strike and fetch the UAV back for purpose later .
As Aerovironment ’s Steve Gitlin toldGannett ’s Marine Corps Times :
Think about it – pairing switchblade aerial munitions with a Raven , Wasp or Puma [ miniskirt - UAV ] – a small team with those pecker can know what is going on around them within about 15 klicks . Once they identify a threat , Switchblade lets them engage that scourge straight off .
Even more promising is the Switchblade ’s preciseness . or else of calling in an airstrike in a dumbly populated urban area to clear out dug - in enemy positions , which would surely result in numerous civilian casualties , forces can fall with speck truth .
“ soldier and leadership have promptly embrace it as an priceless prick , ” an Army functionary toldThe Army Times . “ The ability to wave off a aim after launching is unequaled to this artillery over almost all other weapon system . Operators can abort a mission if the situation change after launching , engage a lowly mark or safely destroy it without bring down casualties or collateral harm to property . ”
The Switchblade is in modified deployment but certainly is n’t the only such UAV . Textron ’s BattleHawk and Prioria Robotics ’ Maveric UAV ’s both aim to vie with the Switchblade for an upcoming Army developing contract in 2016 . [ Defense Industry Daily – Army Times – AV Inc ]
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