US reviews Israeli orders for hundreds of Switchblade 600 drones

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 Nov 2023 19:48
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The Switchblade 600 drones, manufactured by AeroVironment, are advanced loitering munitions designed to target armored vehicles and various other targets in multi-domain operations.

A launch of the Switchblade 600 drone (AeroVironment, Inc.)

"Israel" has reportedly submitted a request to the US government for 200 Switchblade 600 attack drones, which is currently under review. This request, made before October 30, was part of a set of capabilities that Israeli leaders explicitly asked their American counterparts for, as revealed in a Pentagon document obtained by DefenseScoop and confirmed by several officials who wished to remain anonymous.

The timeline for the US agencies to decide on this request and the delivery date of these advanced capabilities to "Israel", if approved, remains uncertain.

The Switchblade 600 drones, manufactured by AeroVironment, are advanced loitering munitions designed to target armored vehicles and various other targets in multi-domain operations. Recently, US Army units have been experimenting with these kamikaze drones, which have a range of 24 miles, can loiter for 40 minutes, and reach speeds of up to 115 miles per hour.

“Equipped with class-leading, high-resolution EO/IR gimbaled sensors and advanced precision flight control, Switchblade 600 empowers the warfighter with quick and easy deployment via tube-launch, and the capability to fly, track and engage non-line-of-sight targets and armored vehicles with precision lethal effects without the need for external [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] or fires assets,” as per an AeroVironment product description.

“Patented wave-off and recommit capability allows operators to abort the mission at any time and then re-engage either the same or other targets multiple times based on operator command,” it added.

AeroVironment has not disclosed the public price for a Switchblade 600, but budget documents suggest that the smaller Switchblade 300 system could be priced at approximately $80,000 for each.

The Biden administration has positioned itself as a strong supporter of "Israel", which is carrying out genocide against Gazans. However, the administration has consistently refrained from confirming specific details about the military supplies and aid it has provided to "Israel" since October 7.

“We don’t put conditions on the assistance given to Israel....," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said, as quoted by DefenseScoop during a briefing on Tuesday.

However, "Israel" killed more than 10,569 Palestinians so far, and hundreds of thousands have protested globally and called for a ceasefire. It seems that it has become increasingly difficult for Biden to turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed, as a huge number of US citizens warn that his handling of the genocide in Gaza could lead to decreased turnout among a demographic known to be challenging to engage on Election Day.