Approval for the procurement of Switchblade drones was granted by KYSEA, which convened under the Prime Minister on Friday morning.

These drones, manufactured in the United States, belong to the category of loitering munitions. They are small in size, equipped with explosive warheads, and guided to their targets by their operators.

Unlike most other weapons, the Switchblade can abort or redirect a mission if circumstances change after launch, allowing it to engage a secondary target or self-destruct without causing casualties or damage.

Specifically, the Switchblade 300 is designed as a disposable UAV to provide precision firepower for infantry units. Weighing 2.5 kilograms, it fits into a backpack and can locate, track, and engage targets. Its small size and silent flight make it extremely difficult to detect or intercept.

The Switchblade 600, the larger version, could be equipped with an anti-tank warhead and has a longer range. It is designed to fly a distance of 40 kilometers in 20 minutes and then loiter for an additional 20 minutes (giving it a total operational range of 80 kilometers).