BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

US sending ‘kamikaze drones’ to support Ukraine’s defense

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

Testing widget old system

Lorenzo shared

(NewsNation) — Ukraine’s successful use of what weapons experts are calling the “Toyota Corolla of drones” has surprised Western military leaders, and more aerial firepower is on the way. On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced it is sending 100 Switchblade drones, also called “kamikaze drones,” to Ukraine.

Up to this point, the Ukrainian forces have relied on a Turkish-made drone, the Bayraktar TB2. With a top speed of 138 mph and a maximum flight time of 27 hours, the TB2 has wreaked havoc on the Russian forces.

The 100 kamikazes, along with other weapons, are part of an $800 million aid package announced Wednesday.

“I think these are going to be a gamechanger in Ukraine,” said retired Lt. Gen. Richard Newton.

Unlike the TB2s, which are relatively large and detectable on radar, the kamikaze drones are newer, smaller and fly much lower, which makes them more difficult for Russian air defense systems to track.

According to the manufacturer based in Virginia, kamikaze drones are lightweight, flexible and can be launched from air, land or sea.

Where does the kamikaze name come from? The drones are single-use and explode on impact, designed to take out enemy personnel and even larger military vehicles, hence the name “kamikaze.”

It’s not clear how long it will take for the American drones to arrive in Ukraine. On Thursday, a senior defense official said the U.S. is working as quickly as possible to deliver assistance.

Ukrainian forces will hope the small, easy-to-use drones can make an immediate impact.

Kamikaze drones are just part of the massive war chest heading to Ukraine from the United States. The latest round of weapon shipments also includes Stinger anti-aircraft systems and surface-to-air Javelin missiles. The full list announced Wednesday includes:

  • 800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems
  • 9,000 anti-armor systems, including 2,000 Javelin systems
  • 7,000 small-arm machine guns, shotguns and grenade launchers
  • 100 tactical unmanned aerial systems (kamikaze drones)
  • 20 million rounds of ammunition
  • 25,000 sets of body armor and 25,000 helmets
War in Ukraine

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Cloudy

la

71°F Cloudy Feels like 71°
Wind
8 mph SSW
Humidity
66%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
62°F Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
6 mph W
Precip
13%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous