Biden is likely to discuss the $1billion defense package he plans to offer Ukraine on Wednesday, likely to include the Switchblade drones. Volodymyr Zelensky will also address the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, and is expected to ask for more weapons to fight Russia. Ultra high-tech drones could be on his list.
The small, lightweight and comparatively cheap Switchblade weapons are designed by Washington DC-based AeroVironment. The most powerful of the two Switchblades, the Switchblade 600, weighs 50lbs and can hover over a target for 40 minutes before darting down at speeds of 115mph, piercing armor and destroying a tank.
The lighter Switchblade 300 is intended to kill people in the open and passengers in a vehicle. It weighs only 5.5lbs but can travel for six miles, hover for 15 minutes, and then dive down to a target at 100mph. Both Switchblades are designed to be easily portable, fitting into a rucksack and fired from a tube set up in 10 minutes.