Russians Shoot Down Switchblade 600 Kamikaze Loitering Munition

Switchblade 600 loitering munition has been shot down by the Russian Forces.

Video and images published in Ukrainian media show debris of the much publicized drone after probably suffering a hit from an anti-drone system.

A Russian military spokesman published a video showing wreckage of the drone, but wasn’t able to identify it. The Switchblade’s wings and design of the propeller is similar to the drone in the video.

The video showed that the warhead of the drone was missing, which Ukrainian media claimed, indicates that the munition hit the target and exploded. At the disposal of the Russian was the rear part of the munition with batteries and an electric motor.

The U.S. Department of Defense ordered Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Pentagon signed a contract worth $2.2 million.

 AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 it is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 90 km. Or cover a distance of 40 km in 20 minutes and have another 20 minutes of time in reserve to loiter over the designated area to scout the target and make a final decision to strike.

The loitering munition is equipped with high-quality optical sensors and is capable of transmitting video images in real time.

The warhead, weighing 15 kg, is similar to the Javelin anti-tank missile in terms of power of destruction.