AeroVironment Switchblade

AeroVironment Switchblade
General Information
Type	Cruise missiles
Local name	Switchblade
Manufacturer	AeroVironment
Commissioning	2011
Technical specifications
Combat weight	2.5 kg
drive	Electric motor
speed	55 - 85 kts
Range	~ 10 km
Service ceiling	15,000 ft
Lists on the subject

The Switchblade ( dt .: switchblade ) is an unmanned combat-capable aircraft ( UCAV ) of the American manufacturer AeroVironment . It can stay over the target area for up to ten minutes before being assigned its target and therefore belongs to the class of loitering weapons .

description

The Switchblade is a small, portable, unmanned warhead aircraft designed to give ground forces the ability to deliver precise, out of sight strikes. It is started directly from the 70 mm transport container. GPS coordinates and a color video image are transmitted to the operator in real time for control and target assignment. Control is carried out with the same portable ground station that is also used for the RQ-11B Raven , Wasp and Puma from the same company.

history

In 2010 the US Army procured ten Switchblade systems for testing purposes. A few hundred units were then ordered in September 2011 for use by the troops. In May 2012, the US Marine Corps also ordered the Switchblade.

commitment

The US military plans to equip the troops in Afghanistan with switchblade drones.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} AeroVironment: Switchblade. (PDF; 350 kB) Accessed January 10, 2013 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b} strategypage.com: Kamikaze UAV Breaks The Bank. Retrieved January 11, 2013 . 
3. ↑ defense-update.com: Switchblade - Miniature Loitering Weapon. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 21, 2013 ; Retrieved January 11, 2013 . 
4. ↑ strategypage.com: Switchblade Enters Service. Retrieved January 11, 2013 . 
5. ↑ ^{a b} marinecorpstimes.com: Marine Corps pursues 'kamikaze' drone. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 26, 2013 ; Retrieved January 11, 2013 .