'The Switchblade': U.S. Army unveils its latest weapon to kill militants -

[Saifullah Sani]

'The Switchblade': U.S. Army unveils its latest weapon to kill militants - tiny kamikaze drones


By MARK DUELL
Last updated at 7:37 PM on 18th October 2011

It quietly hovers before dive-bombing and blowing up a human target.
This ‘kamikaze’ drone - small enough to fit inside a soldier’s backpack and dubbed the ‘Switchblade’ - will soon be available for use by the U.S. Army.
The impressive robotic craft weighs less than 2kg and launches from a tube before its wings fold out as it flies into the air, reported AFP.

Impressive craft: A soldier launches a 'kamikaze' drone and watches its live feed as it flies out of a tube. It will soon be available for use by the U.S. Army

The U.S. Army is paying manufacturer AeroVironment $4.9million for the drones to help it develop a new way of killing suspected militants.
The drones have a miniature electric motor and transmit live video from overhead, which helps soldiers identify the enemy, reported AFP.

The operators can then send a message to the drone ‘to arm it and lock its trajectory onto the target’, the company said in a press release.
The drone will fly into a target and detonate a small explosive - but it can still be disarmed at the last moment even if it is heading for a kill.

Drone: The impressive robotic craft weighs less than 2kg and launches from a tube before its wings fold out as it flies into the air
The California company said it is this feature that makes its drones unique and gives ‘a level of control not available in other weapon systems’

Larger Predator and Reaper drones are currently used by the U.S. to find suspected militants in Pakistan and other countries, reported AFP.
These drones have caused a political headache as civilian casualties can be caused when they drop powerful missiles and large bombs.
But AeroVironment said its Switchblade combines ‘onboard explosive payload with precision while minimising collateral damage’.
'Switchblade provides a revolutionary rapid strike capability to protect our troops and give them a valuable new advantage,' a spokesman said.

The Army's Close Combat Weapons Systems (CCWS) signed a $4.9million contract for the drones with AeroVironment in June.

Bill Nichols, of the CCWS project office, praised the Switchblade as 'an ideal weapon for today's fight (and) the future' with 'unique capabilities'.
The Daily described it as 'a smart, remote-control grenade with wings'.
But human rights advocates claim drones can help the military carry out assassination campaigns abroad that the public will never find out about.

US Army unveils its latest weapon to kill militants - tiny kamikaze drones | Mail Online

 

[westtowel]

New Portable Soldier Weapon - SWITCHBLADE

[video]http://www.********.com/view?i=b12_1304283593[/video]

More terrorists killed ,More money for the defence companies.

 

[Safriz]

i thought the good old rifel and bullet were enough to kill a single human enemy....
why over do it with.expensive unnecessary macinery?

 

[Splurgenxs]

^^Well clearly they value American life over money

 

[anon45]

question is what's the loiter time?

 

[Awesome]

So its a UAV with a bomb strapped on it. Can't all UAVs be made to do this? Crash any UAV into a militant and he'd die from the resulting explosion. 2kg weight means its not shielded - what would happen if a militant starts spraying it with bullets?

It's an OK idea... nothing revolutionary.

 

[Al Bhatti]

Is this a good replacement for stinger?

 

[aanshu001]

if I had to use it I will give it to Spl. forces to kill radar stations by a safe distance.

 

[regular]

i thought the good old rifel and bullet were enough to kill a single human enemy....
why over do it with.expensive unnecessary macinery?

Its not for killing humans but to make good money by the defence contractors.

 

[PERSIAN GOD KING]

These will swarm the battlefield in war, it good....but usa will still loose the war

 

[no_name]

These could be used like a smart mortar. Fly above the opponents relatively quietly and hard to see with white paint and small size. Then cut the engine and dive silently to its target like smart munitions.

If it were not for loud engine noise and larger size, how many people will really glance up to look at the empty sky when fighting a largely 2D battle on the ground?

 

[Emmie]

Suicide bomber but this time a machine..!!

 

[gambit]

So its a UAV with a bomb strapped on it. Can't all UAVs be made to do this?

The issue is how inexpensive can we make it. This one looks pretty low cost.

Crash any UAV into a militant and he'd die from the resulting explosion.

And whoever else within about 10 meters.

2kg weight means its not shielded - what would happen if a militant starts spraying it with bullets?

It is extremely difficult to hit a moving target with the 'spray and pray' technique, provided you are aware of its direction in the first place.