First Switchblade Kamikaze Drones Arrive in Ukraine: How America's Loitering Munition Works

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed on April 6, 2022 that 100 Switchblade drones made by AeroVironment had either arrived in Ukraine or were on their way, as part of an $800 million American security assistance package announced by President Joe Biden on March 16. Among the equipment are ten anti-armor Switchblade 600 units, designed to strike Russian tanks and armored vehicles.

From Biden's Announcement to Pentagon Confirmation

Three weeks passed between Biden's announcement and the Pentagon's official confirmation that the equipment had actually shipped out. Kirby, briefing reporters in Washington, declined to give precise operational details about the location of the equipment, but noted that some of it was already inside Ukraine while other units were still in transit. This marks one of the most advanced systems Washington has supplied to Kyiv since the Russian invasion began.

The full $800 million package includes two different models from the same product family, designed for two entirely separate types of missions.

• Switchblade 300: range of about 10 kilometers, designed to strike personnel and light vehicles
• Switchblade 600: a larger anti-armor model, capable of destroying tanks and armored vehicles
• Quantity: 100 units total, of which only 10 are the 600 model
• Source: AeroVironment, an American manufacturer

Loitering Munitions That Fly From Tube to Target

The Switchblade belongs to the family of loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, and it operates differently from standard reconnaissance or camera drones. The device is launched from a portable tube, and after launch it takes flight and begins circling the target area while streaming live video feed back to a human operator in real time.

Only after the operator identifies and confirms the target does the device dive directly into it and detonate on impact. In other words, this is a single-use munition that combines precise observation capability with immediate strike power, eliminating the need for artillery or air force support in every individual engagement with Russian forces.

What Are Ukrainian Forces Actually Getting on the Ground?

Operationally, the device gives soldiers at the squad or platoon level a precision strike capability that previously required coordination with higher command echelons. The combination of a lightweight model for anti-personnel and anti-vehicle missions alongside a heavier anti-armor variant provides a relatively flexible response for a battlefield where the Russian military continues to deploy heavy armor.

Still, the quantity actually delivered, just 100 units with only ten of the heavier model, raises questions about the real scope of operational impact against a military the size of Russia's. Pentagon officials have not publicly addressed whether this represents a limited pilot program to be followed by broader supply, or the final quantity for this stage.