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Exclusive: Biden admin mulls providing Ukraine with Switchblade drones
Link to tweet
Tweet text:
Ken Dilanian
@KenDilanianNBC
Scoop: The Biden administration is considering providing Ukraine with U.S.-made killer drones — cutting edge guided missiles that could accurately target Russian tanks and artillery positions from miles away, two Congressional officials said.
nbcnews.com
Exclusive: Biden admin mulls providing Ukraine with Switchblade drones
The U.S.-made guided missiles can accurately target tanks and artillery from miles away.
6:26 PM · Mar 15, 2022
Ken Dilanian
@KenDilanianNBC
Scoop: The Biden administration is considering providing Ukraine with U.S.-made killer drones — cutting edge guided missiles that could accurately target Russian tanks and artillery positions from miles away, two Congressional officials said.
nbcnews.com
Exclusive: Biden admin mulls providing Ukraine with Switchblade drones
The U.S.-made guided missiles can accurately target tanks and artillery from miles away.
6:26 PM · Mar 15, 2022
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/ukraine-asks-biden-admin-armed-drones-jamming-gear-surface-air-missile-rcna20197
The Biden administration is considering providing Ukraine with U.S.-made killer drones — cutting edge guided missiles that could accurately target Russian tanks and artillery positions from miles away, two Congressional officials briefed on the matter told NBC News.
No decisions have been made, but the officials said the White House is mulling whether to equip Ukraine with explosive-laden “loitering missiles,” called Switchblades, as part of a new package of military aid President Biden is expected to discuss on Wednesday.
There are two variants of the weapon, the Switchblade 300 and 600, that have been sold to U.S. Special Operations Command by manufacturer AeroVironment, based in suburban Washington, DC. The 300 is designed for pinpoint strikes on personnel, and the larger 600 is meant to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles.
NBC News reported on an exclusive demonstration of the Switchblade 300 in December. AeroVironment officials said at the time that the government forbid them from demonstrating the 600.
*snip*
16 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
And pouty pootin will start whining in 3, 2, 1...
authoritarian dictator or anything. 
Switchblade 300, the combat proven munition
https://www.edrmagazine.eu/switchblade-300-the-combat-proven-munition
While writing, the US Army should have started receiving its batch of Switchblade loitering munitions related to the over 75 million US$ contract announced in May 2020, that contract being funded for the first year of procurement through a Joint Urgent Operational Need Statement from the United States Army Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions (TAGM) project office. “This LMAM (Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile) contract is the largest ever awarded for this category of systems and is a testament to its battle-proven track record,” Wahid Nawabi, Aerovironment CEO, underlined.
Two additional one-year options, currently unfunded, would extend the period of performance through April 2023 on a sole-source basis, according to AeroVironment press release. In fact the Army will get the Switchblade 300, the latest iteration of the man-portable system that has been around for nearly a decade, which was re-named adding the “300” to differentiate it from the bigger system that was unveiled at the press conference.
“The Switchblade 300 is a lightweight, organic, beyond line-of-sight precision guided weapon,” Brett Hush, Senior General Manager, Product Line Management of AeroVironment Tactical Missile Systems business adds. Its military avionics, GPS/INS and E/O – IR sensor suite are the same fitted to the Blackwing ISR submarine launched system, allowing economy of scale. Targeting optics include dual front and side looking E/O cameras and one IR nose camera with stabilized electronic pan-tilt-zoom. A secure digital data link ensures two-way communications between the air vehicle and the operator, the Switchblade 300 being fitted with a precision effects munition payload, with directional precision engagement, ensuring low collateral damages. This is provided by Northrop Grumman (formerly Orbital ATK), and has the size of a 40 mm grenade warhead, mostly aimed at antipersonnel engagements and also effective against soft-skinned vehicles.
A soldier oriented system, fully manportable, the overall weight of the munition including the launch tube is 2.5 kg, and three such munitions can be hosted in a rucksack. From the stored position, it takes less than two minutes to deploy and launch the Switchblade 300; this, together with the over 100 km/h cruise speed and the 160 km/h dash speed allow it to reach the maximum range, 10 km, in less than 6 minutes, to acquire, identify and engage high volatility targets. Considering the 15 minutes endurance, this gives time to loiter over the target, and eventually acquire a different one should the first attack be waved off, something that can be done until few seconds before detonation, according to AeroVironment officials.The Switchblade 300 can receive target data from other systems, i.e. AeroVironment Wasp, Raven or Puma UAS; once the UAS operator has positively identified the target, its grids are automatically transferred to the loitering munition via machine-to-machine interface, reducing transfer time and with no chance of error. Once the engagement completed, the UAS can provide battle damage assessment
https://www.avinc.com/tms/switchblade
Switchblade 600, the new Medium Range Loitering Munition
https://www.edrmagazine.eu/switchblade-600-the-new-medium-range-loitering-munition
The task of presenting the newly born member of AeroVironment loitering missiles falls on the shoulders of Todd Hanning, the company Product Line Manager at Tactical Missile Systems business unit. “Switchblade 600 is the result of working closely with our US DoD customers, who wanted the same features of the Switchblade 300 but with greater effects,” he explains, underlining that the new system does exactly that as it features enhanced effects, greater stand-off range, and extended endurance, while remaining an all-in-one man-portable solution.
The Switchblade 600 can be launched from the ground as well as from air or ground platforms. The missile is fitted with a two-axis, four-sensor gimbal integrated sensor suite that hosts dual electro-optical and infrared sensors. In the standard configuration it can hit a target at over 40 km standoff range, and once over the target area it can loiter for over 20 minutes, if necessary, to identify the target before diving onto it. Of course the Switchblade 600 maintains the wave-off capability of the smaller system as well as its re-engagement capability. Cruise speed is over 112 km/h while dash speed is 185 km/h, which adds the kinetic energy to that of the anti-armour warhead developed according to customer’s requirements. The user can also select the optimal angle of attack, depending on the type of target and the surrounding scenario. The modular approach typical of AeroVironment products will allow the company to adapt the Switchblade 600 to the missions required by new customers, currently a number of US DoD entities are lining up for the system, therefore new types of payload may be developed, i.e. one devoted to antiradiation missions to neutralise enemy radars. According to AeroVironment the current warhead weighs around five times that of the Switchblade 300, which gives considerable lethality to the munition. The length of the airframe is 1.3 meters, its weight being 22.7 kg, no data being provided about the wingspan, the architecture being the same of the smaller system, with two foldable tandem wings. The weight of the overall system, including the SB600, the launcher and the Fire Control System, made of the tablet and the long-range antenna, is 54.4 kg.
The 40+ km range is given by the digital AES-256 encrypted data link, however considering the endurance and cruise speed the Switchblade can transit out to 80 km; to do so the system needs two long range antennas deployed on the field, the command being relayed from one operator to the other thanks to the handoff capability of the data link. The company continues to work on the power system, in order to further extend the system range, while keeping the same weight to allow one-man operations. With the Switchblade 600 Aerovironment introduced a new tablet, of the touch screen type, which makes the system control even more intuitive. It also includes the mission planning system as well as the simulation software. A lock-on mode allows high precision engagements both against stationary and moving targets, while as said the mission can be aborted at any time, until the very last moments before the hit.
AeroVironment Switchblade 600 is being proposed for various programmes with a number of DoD customers, no more details being provided. “The only programme we can talk about publicly at this time is the US Marine Corps OPF-M (Organic Precision Fires-Mounted) programme, of which we are one of the competitors in the Phase 1, Development and Demonstration, the fly-off scheduled for January 2021 aiming at downselecting a single supplier,” Brett Hush explains. The USMC requirement includes a vehicle-based multipack launcher, therefore AeroVironment is working on that in order to demonstrate it at the fly-off in a few months time.
The system development started some time ago: “the initial development started in 2014, and we demonstrated live fire within 12 months,” said Brett Hush, who was already with AeroVironment at that time. Since then the company carried out an intensive development work: “In the last two years we had very busy flight tests, mostly ground-launched, against both fixed and moving targets, with more than 60 flights in our test programme, and we will continue to do so next year, possibly progressing in the maritime and air-launched environments as the system was specifically designed also for that,” Todd Hanning says. As for the programme status, Brett Hush explains that “a number of customers have now pushed the ‘I believe’ button and are moving forward with requirements for this medium-size loitering missile. The status of the programme therefore depends very much on which customer we are considering, as we are actively engaged with multiple distinct DoD customer for this capability today,” while Todd Hanning adds that “the core system is over TRL7, the Initial Operational capability being more a programme gate which is related to the customer, but we can see probably the IOC with the Marines to be attained in 2021. We already started the Low Rate Initial Production to field systems, and have the capacity to address the demand.”
https://www.avinc.com/tms/switchblade-600
https://www.edrmagazine.eu/switchblade-300-the-combat-proven-munition
While writing, the US Army should have started receiving its batch of Switchblade loitering munitions related to the over 75 million US$ contract announced in May 2020, that contract being funded for the first year of procurement through a Joint Urgent Operational Need Statement from the United States Army Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions (TAGM) project office. “This LMAM (Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile) contract is the largest ever awarded for this category of systems and is a testament to its battle-proven track record,” Wahid Nawabi, Aerovironment CEO, underlined.
Two additional one-year options, currently unfunded, would extend the period of performance through April 2023 on a sole-source basis, according to AeroVironment press release. In fact the Army will get the Switchblade 300, the latest iteration of the man-portable system that has been around for nearly a decade, which was re-named adding the “300” to differentiate it from the bigger system that was unveiled at the press conference.
“The Switchblade 300 is a lightweight, organic, beyond line-of-sight precision guided weapon,” Brett Hush, Senior General Manager, Product Line Management of AeroVironment Tactical Missile Systems business adds. Its military avionics, GPS/INS and E/O – IR sensor suite are the same fitted to the Blackwing ISR submarine launched system, allowing economy of scale. Targeting optics include dual front and side looking E/O cameras and one IR nose camera with stabilized electronic pan-tilt-zoom. A secure digital data link ensures two-way communications between the air vehicle and the operator, the Switchblade 300 being fitted with a precision effects munition payload, with directional precision engagement, ensuring low collateral damages. This is provided by Northrop Grumman (formerly Orbital ATK), and has the size of a 40 mm grenade warhead, mostly aimed at antipersonnel engagements and also effective against soft-skinned vehicles.
A soldier oriented system, fully manportable, the overall weight of the munition including the launch tube is 2.5 kg, and three such munitions can be hosted in a rucksack. From the stored position, it takes less than two minutes to deploy and launch the Switchblade 300; this, together with the over 100 km/h cruise speed and the 160 km/h dash speed allow it to reach the maximum range, 10 km, in less than 6 minutes, to acquire, identify and engage high volatility targets. Considering the 15 minutes endurance, this gives time to loiter over the target, and eventually acquire a different one should the first attack be waved off, something that can be done until few seconds before detonation, according to AeroVironment officials.The Switchblade 300 can receive target data from other systems, i.e. AeroVironment Wasp, Raven or Puma UAS; once the UAS operator has positively identified the target, its grids are automatically transferred to the loitering munition via machine-to-machine interface, reducing transfer time and with no chance of error. Once the engagement completed, the UAS can provide battle damage assessment
https://www.avinc.com/tms/switchblade
Switchblade 600, the new Medium Range Loitering Munition
https://www.edrmagazine.eu/switchblade-600-the-new-medium-range-loitering-munition
The task of presenting the newly born member of AeroVironment loitering missiles falls on the shoulders of Todd Hanning, the company Product Line Manager at Tactical Missile Systems business unit. “Switchblade 600 is the result of working closely with our US DoD customers, who wanted the same features of the Switchblade 300 but with greater effects,” he explains, underlining that the new system does exactly that as it features enhanced effects, greater stand-off range, and extended endurance, while remaining an all-in-one man-portable solution.
The Switchblade 600 can be launched from the ground as well as from air or ground platforms. The missile is fitted with a two-axis, four-sensor gimbal integrated sensor suite that hosts dual electro-optical and infrared sensors. In the standard configuration it can hit a target at over 40 km standoff range, and once over the target area it can loiter for over 20 minutes, if necessary, to identify the target before diving onto it. Of course the Switchblade 600 maintains the wave-off capability of the smaller system as well as its re-engagement capability. Cruise speed is over 112 km/h while dash speed is 185 km/h, which adds the kinetic energy to that of the anti-armour warhead developed according to customer’s requirements. The user can also select the optimal angle of attack, depending on the type of target and the surrounding scenario. The modular approach typical of AeroVironment products will allow the company to adapt the Switchblade 600 to the missions required by new customers, currently a number of US DoD entities are lining up for the system, therefore new types of payload may be developed, i.e. one devoted to antiradiation missions to neutralise enemy radars. According to AeroVironment the current warhead weighs around five times that of the Switchblade 300, which gives considerable lethality to the munition. The length of the airframe is 1.3 meters, its weight being 22.7 kg, no data being provided about the wingspan, the architecture being the same of the smaller system, with two foldable tandem wings. The weight of the overall system, including the SB600, the launcher and the Fire Control System, made of the tablet and the long-range antenna, is 54.4 kg.
The 40+ km range is given by the digital AES-256 encrypted data link, however considering the endurance and cruise speed the Switchblade can transit out to 80 km; to do so the system needs two long range antennas deployed on the field, the command being relayed from one operator to the other thanks to the handoff capability of the data link. The company continues to work on the power system, in order to further extend the system range, while keeping the same weight to allow one-man operations. With the Switchblade 600 Aerovironment introduced a new tablet, of the touch screen type, which makes the system control even more intuitive. It also includes the mission planning system as well as the simulation software. A lock-on mode allows high precision engagements both against stationary and moving targets, while as said the mission can be aborted at any time, until the very last moments before the hit.
AeroVironment Switchblade 600 is being proposed for various programmes with a number of DoD customers, no more details being provided. “The only programme we can talk about publicly at this time is the US Marine Corps OPF-M (Organic Precision Fires-Mounted) programme, of which we are one of the competitors in the Phase 1, Development and Demonstration, the fly-off scheduled for January 2021 aiming at downselecting a single supplier,” Brett Hush explains. The USMC requirement includes a vehicle-based multipack launcher, therefore AeroVironment is working on that in order to demonstrate it at the fly-off in a few months time.
The system development started some time ago: “the initial development started in 2014, and we demonstrated live fire within 12 months,” said Brett Hush, who was already with AeroVironment at that time. Since then the company carried out an intensive development work: “In the last two years we had very busy flight tests, mostly ground-launched, against both fixed and moving targets, with more than 60 flights in our test programme, and we will continue to do so next year, possibly progressing in the maritime and air-launched environments as the system was specifically designed also for that,” Todd Hanning says. As for the programme status, Brett Hush explains that “a number of customers have now pushed the ‘I believe’ button and are moving forward with requirements for this medium-size loitering missile. The status of the programme therefore depends very much on which customer we are considering, as we are actively engaged with multiple distinct DoD customer for this capability today,” while Todd Hanning adds that “the core system is over TRL7, the Initial Operational capability being more a programme gate which is related to the customer, but we can see probably the IOC with the Marines to be attained in 2021. We already started the Low Rate Initial Production to field systems, and have the capacity to address the demand.”
https://www.avinc.com/tms/switchblade-600