Las Loitering Munitions (LM) tambi\u00e9n conocidas como \u201ckamikaze drones\u201d o \u201cdrones suicidas\u201d, se diferencian de las municiones tradicionales, de los UCAS y tambi\u00e9n de los misiles, por su capacidad de estar sobrevolando (Loitering) una determinada zona buscando blancos, para lanzarse directamente sobre ellos y destruirlos con su carga explosiva.\u00a0La mayor\u00eda de las ramas de las FFAA de EUA, est\u00e1n interesadas en disponer en sus arsenales, de m\u00e1s tipos de LM en todos los niveles y con diferentes prestaciones. Si bien estas armas verdaderamente disruptivas, dan mayores capacidades a los elementos de combate propios, esa misma tecnolog\u00eda representa una enorme amenaza cuando est\u00e1 disponible para el oponente. Tanto el conflicto de Nagorno-karabaj entre Azerbaiy\u00e1n y Armenia, como la invasi\u00f3n de Rusia a Ucrania a\u00fan en curso, han mostrado el extraordinario valor de las LM cuando son empleadas adecuadamente, pero tambi\u00e9n que se debe poder neutralizarlas cuando las dispone el enemigo. En ambos aspectos, el ofensivo y el defensivo, el Pent\u00e1gono tiene ambiciosos planes para las LM.<\/p>\n
Multiple branches of the U.S. military are eager to add more loitering munitions to their arsenals. The weapons will give them new tools, but the technology also poses a threat to American forces that must be countered, experts say.<\/p>\n
These types of systems, sometimes referred to as kamikaze drones or suicide drones, are different than traditional munitions because of their ability to loiter and search for targets to strike.<\/p>\n
They are also different than the large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that gained fame during the post-9\/11 wars such as the MQ-9 Reaper. The latter uses sensors onboard the aircraft to find targets and then launches missiles to attack them. By contrast, loitering munitions \u2014 often armed with warheads \u2014 are designed to go on one-way missions. When they find a target, they intentionally crash into it to destroy it. They can, however, potentially be recalled if no suitable targets are found.<\/p>\n
Suicide drones have made headlines recently, as the Department of Defense sends hundreds of them to Ukraine for use against Russian invaders.<\/p>\n
The tube-launched, remotely controlled Switchblade 300 system weighs just 5.5 pounds and can fit inside a soldier\u2019s rucksack. It has a range of 10 kilometers, 15 minutes endurance, and a maximum speed of 100 mph, and is armed with a warhead, according to manufacturer AeroVironment.<\/p>\n
The larger Switchblade 600 weighs 120 pounds, has a 40-plus kilometer range, 40-plus minutes endurance, and a maximum speed of 120 mph.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, officials across the DOD are pursuing new kamikaze drones and looking for innovative ways to employ them.<\/p>\n
The Army<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe in acquisition, I think we want to take advantage of the amazing innovations in that area \u2026 And loitering munitions, something we already invest in, it\u2019s something we could invest more in as the technology improves,\u201d Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, told FedScoop in March during a virtual event hosted by Defense News.<\/p>\n That same month, the service evaluated Rafael Advanced Defense Systems\u2019 Spike Firefly \u2014 a portable, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) miniature tactical loitering munition \u2014 at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment 2022.<\/p>\n The Israeli contractor\u2019s system is designed for \u201cground organic precision strike for close combat forces,\u201d according to a Rafael press release. It is equipped with multiple sensors, a seeker, an encrypted data link and a lethal blast fragmentation warhead. As part of the Army assessment, operators fired a live inert munition at a mock enemy sniper position on an upper floor of a structure.<\/p>\n