Ukrainian Soldiers Trained in U.S. To Use Switchblade Drones

A shipment of the short-range piloted drones equipped with munitions arrived in Ukraine earlier this week, a Pentagon official said.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, April 07, 2022 at 04:09 PM ET

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U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Isiah Enriquez launches a Switchblade Drone during a training exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., July 7, 2021. [U.S. Marine Corps file photo]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. has supplied 100 Switchblade "kamikaze" drones to Ukraine and provided quick training to a small group of Ukrainian soldiers on their use.
Switchblade drones are precision, single-use "loitering munitions" designed to act as both scouts and piloted missiles, augmenting Ukraine's existing tactical drone capabilities.
This drone shipment is part of the extensive U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, which has surpassed $1.7 billion since the Russian invasion and includes other drones and anti-armor systems.

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The U.S. has trained a small number of Ukrainian soldiers to use Switchblade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the “kamikaze” tactical aerial drones sent to the war-ravaged country as part of a military assistance package, according to a Pentagon official.

A shipment of 100 Switchblade UAVs, announced several weeks ago and supplied from U.S. military stock, arrived in Ukraine earlier this week, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Wednesday.