U.S. sending Ukraine ‘kamikaze’ drones for Donbas battle
The U.S. will supply Ukraine with deadly “ghost drones” developed specifically for Ukrainian forces to use against Russian troops.
The 120 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems that Washington is sending to Kyiv are to be used in the battle for the contested Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said: “I have authorized a further drawdown of US$800 million in arms, equipment and supplies for Ukraine to strengthen its defences to counter Russia’s new offensive in the east. We stand united with Ukraine.”
A U.S. Department of Defence official described the Phoenix as a “one-way” self-destructing “kamikaze” drone that “delivers a punch,” very similar to an Aerovironment Switchblade.
Little has been made public about the Phoenix Ghost and the official said in a press briefing he “was loath” to reveal more about its capabilities.
The Switchblade, however, is a tactical drone used mostly for locating and destroying troop defences, but it can also harass tanks and armoured vehicles as the munitions can be outfitted with a heavier anti-armour warhead, which is launched quickly and in numbers.
The drones are unique in their ability to hover above a potential target, strategically waiting for the right moment to conduct a precise strike, known as “loitering munition.”
The bespoke Phoenix drones, developed by the U.S. Armed Forces and California-based Aevex Aerospace, can reportedly fly up to 160 km/h and carry a significant payload.
But where the Switchblade can fly for less than an hour, the Phoenix Ghost can remain in the air for six hours and operate at night using its infrared sensors.
“It was developed for a set of requirements that very closely match what Ukrainians need right now in the Donbas,” said John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman.
Ukrainian soldiers will be coming over from Kyiv to Poland in the next few days and weeks to receive instruction on the U.S.’S new drone systems.
The new tranche of US$800 million in military assistance is expected to include 72 155mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds, the Phoenix Ghost tactical drones, field equipment and spare parts.
President Joe Biden’s decision to quadruple the amount pledged in an arms package announced just last week reflects what is shaping up as a major ground battle in Donbas.
Biden said the new package was tailored to help Ukraine’s forces address the growing Russian offensive in the country’s east, which he said would be a different kind of fight than that in the north around Kyiv, where Ukrainian forces successfully beat the Russian invasion back in the first six weeks of the war.
France also added to Ukraine’s arsenal with a batch of Milan anti-tank missiles, as well as Caesar self-propelled howitzers, some of the most advanced available.
The howitzers can fire a platoon’s worth of projectiles in one go and then drive to another location to avoid Russian counter-battery fire.
Thanks to European resupplies, Ukraine’s military now has more tanks on the battlefield than Russia, the Pentagon revealed this week.
The delivery in recent weeks of Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Kyiv from the Czech Republic and other NATO allies has effectively eroded Russia’s advantage.
Experts have put the significant Russian losses down to the advanced anti-tank weapons Western nations have given to Ukraine, as well as poor maintenance and lagging morale among Moscow’s recruits.
Ukraine has managed to capture at least 161 tanks from Russia on the battlefield, according to the military analysis site Oryx.
For its part, Russia has captured 43 Ukrainian tanks, according to analysts studying photos and videos on social media.
IT WAS DEVELOPED FOR A SET OF REQUIREMENTS THAT VERY CLOSELY MATCH WHAT UKRAINIANS NEED.