Failure Or Savior? Busting Myths About Switchblade Loitering Munitions In Ukraine

When the Pentagon announced it was supplying Switchblade loitering munitions to Ukraine, the move was met with a wave of enthusiasm. Some people seemed to think the Switchblade was a super-weapon which would win the war, so it was not surprising when the inevitable backlash set in. Wishful thinking on one side, and uninformed criticism on the other, have given rise to several stubborn myths about the Switchblade.

Getting information about the Switchblade has always been a challenge. U.S. special forces have been using them for over ten years with virtually no information and no combat videos released. It is not surprising then that information from Ukraine has been sparse, there is enough to give some insight. We even have videos of them being launched in combat, not seen from Iraq or Afghanistan.

Sometimes described as a kamikaze drone, the Switchblade 300 is a 5.5-pound tube-launched weapon with wings and an electric propeller which unfold after launch allowing to cruises at around 60 mph. The operator uses the drone’s thermal and daylight cameras to locate a target, lock on an destroy it. Specifically designed for difficult and fleeting high value targets , the Switchblade provides unmatched precision. This may be tailored more to a counter-insurgency than a full-on Russian invasion, but it has its uses.

Myth 1: “It Doesn’t Work”

A Javelin missile produces a satisfying explosion, sometimes followed by secondaries as ammunition of fuel in the target vehicles detonates. Its warhead weighs about nineteen pounds, about forty times as much as the Switchblade’s. This means the Switchblade has comparatively little visible effect, so when the first ever video of a Switchblade engagement appeared, some viewers were not impressed.

A Switchblade is seen from another drone striking a covered Russian machine-gun position. The Switchblade’s warhead is a highly directional fragmentation charge, triggered by a sensor which sets it off at a specific point, leading it to be nicknamed the ‘flying shotgun.’ The one in the video goes off immediately in front of the covered position, with little obvious effect; two Russian soldiers nearby are seen running away. Some thought this looked like a fail.

As Twitter user Kung Flu Panda pointed out “It did exactly what it was supposed to do,” shown in more detail in an annotated YouTube video.

Ukrainian forces posted the video because it showed a successful strike. Without seeing inside the bunker, it is impossible to tell for sure, but the machinegun crew would have been well within the lethal radius of the Switchblade’s shrapnel.. It may not be visually impressive but it can hit point targets which even a Javelin cannot reach.

In a second video released by Ukrainian Special Forces, a Switchblade 300 is seen hitting a T-72B3 tank. While it does not have any effect on the tank, the crew are standing on top at the time and were undoubtedly casualties. Again, some may want more of an explosion, but taking out the crew may be the smart option — especially if the vehicle can be captured afterwards.

Myth 2 : “The U.S. Is Sending Thousands Of Switchblades, Not Hundreds”

I have heard from multiple sources, some of them apparently well-informed insiders, that the U.S. is supplying far more Switchblades than the numbers stated. This is because of Switchblade ‘system’ is supposedly a single control unit plus 10 launch tubes, a claim originating from ‘inside sources’ quoted by reputable news sites such as this one and this one. According to this version, the 700 Switchblade systems committed to Ukraine actually means 7,000 munitions.

This would be out of line with the other items listed by the Pentagon as bound for Ukraine = “ Over 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems; Over 5,500 Javelin anti-armor systems; Over 14,000 other anti-armor systems” – where one system clearly means one weapon. Javelin control units are also reused, but one system is one shot.

I checked out this rumor with makers AeroVironmentAVAV
, who stated that one Switchblade system is a single round. They had never heard “one system equals ten rounds” story.

Someone suggested that the military might have a different way of counting to the makers, so I asked the Pentagon’s press office, who provided this unequivocal statement:

“We can confirm 700 systems means 700 munitions.”

More would be better. But we are currently looking at hundreds.

Myth 3: ”Switchblades Are Being Shot Down Or Captured”

If a Switchblade operator cannot find a valid target before they run out of flying time (something over 15 minutes and probably more like 30), the drone disarms itself and drops out of the sky. Hence there are a number of pictures of Switchblades often with claims that they have malfunctioned or shot down.

There are even pictures of Switchblades which show every sign of having detonated, suggesting that they carried out their mission successfully rather than being downed as claimed.

Shooting down a Switchblade would be quite a challenge: it comes towards you in its terminal diver at roughly 100 mph , and the fuselage is no more than three inches across. It has virtually no infra-red signature for a missile to lock on to.

There is even a Twitter post from a Russian user shows a Switchblade on a crate, with a claim that a shipment of them have been captured. However, close inspection of the images shows that the munition is damaged and shows signs of having been flown.

Myth 4: “Switchblade 600s Are Already Destroying Russian Tanks”

The larger Switchblade 600 – fifty pounds, all up — has a much longer range and a warhead capable of taking out armored vehicles. Ultimately this type of loitering munition could be a game-changer, but it is not in theater yet. The Pentagon has suggested that 10 Switchblade 600s will be sent to Ukraine; the numbers are so low because so far the 600 has only been made in test quantities, with no production line in place,

MakerMKR
s AeroVironment have told Forbes they are ready to produce the weapons in quantity, but are facing delays due to administration from Washington. So, as far as we know, none have been sent to Ukraine so far, and there is no set date for them to arrive.

At this point it is impossible to judge the real impact the Switchblade 300. As before, the lack of information may stem from a desire by the U.S. to keep the system and its capabilities as quiet as possible. We do know that Ukraine also has RQ-20 Pumas, which are able to team with Switchblade 300s in hunter-killer units and act as aerial data relays to give them extended range. It is possible that they are being used against towed howitzer crews (Russia is using its own loitering munitions in this role) and unarmored multiple-rocket launcher trucks.

It is too early either to write off the Switchblade or claim it as a gigantic success, but myths supporting both narratives are likely to thrive in the fertile ground of the Internet.