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Expendable Switchblade
   Next Article → MORALE: An Alarming Event
May 21, 2010: The U.S. Army is buying ten Switchblade UAVs for testing and evaluation. The Switchblade is a one kilogram (2.2 pound) expendable (used only once) UAV that can be equipped with  explosives. The Switchblade is launched from its shipping and storage tube, at which point wings flip out, a battery powered propeller starts spinning and a vidcam begins broadcasting images to the controller. The Switchblade is operated using the same gear the larger (two kg) Raven UAV employs. The Switchblade can be launched from the 70mm rocket tubes used on army helicopters. Moving at up to a kilometer a minute, the Switchblade can stay in the air for 20-40 minutes (depending on whether or not it is armed with explosives.) The armed version can be flown to a target and detonated, having about the same explosive effect as a hand grenade. Thus the Switchblade could be useful for ground troops, to get at an enemy taking cover in a hard to see location. No price has been given, but it's probably at least $30,000 per UAV. Switchblade completed its tests about a year ago. Technically a guided missile, the use of Switchblade as a reconnaissance tool encouraged developers to refer to it as a UAV.

 

 Next Article → MORALE: An Alarming Event
  

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Vulture       5/21/2010 10:43:47 AM
So when you are a small UAV and can't carry your own Hellfires or even a Dagger/Spike; you have to terminate the target yourself after performing your observation role.
 
As for utility, considering the rocket pod multiple swtichblade launch, I would hope they upgrade bandwidth capacity on the Helos so supporting troops can operate all the mini UAVs.
 
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Gerry       5/21/2010 9:49:13 PM
A $30,000 grenade? I would hope it would be used  appropriately and not whenever.
 
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