EUA estar\u00eda proveyendo las revolucionarias \u201cloitering munitions\u201d Switchblade a Ucrania, en apoyo a ese pa\u00eds para enfrentar la invasi\u00f3n de Rusia. Estos peque\u00f1os\u00a0\u00a0\u201cdrones kamikaze\u201d\u00a0o \u201cmuniciones merodeadoras\u201d,\u00a0combinan la eficiencia para el ataque de los misiles, con la capacidad de observaci\u00f3n y vigilancia de los drones. Ya demostraron su letalidad en el conflicto de Nagorno- Karabaj, entre Armenia y Azerbaijan. Su aparici\u00f3n en el escenario de combate Rusia \u2013 Ucrania, puede ser vital para este \u00faltimo pa\u00eds, debido a la capacidad de estos sistemas de maniobrar, realizar vigilancia a\u00e9rea y batir blancos con extrema precisi\u00f3n, lo que reduce los tiempos de detecci\u00f3n y neutralizaci\u00f3n de los blancos.<\/p>\n
Hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an impassioned plea for help to the U.S. Congress on March 16, President Joe Biden announced that Washington\u00a0will\u00a0provide<\/a>\u00a0$800 million\u00a0in additional security assistance to Ukraine,\u00a0including\u00a0100 Switchblade<\/a>\u00a0loitering munitions (LMs), commonly referred to as \u201csuicide drones.\u201d While members of Congress have pushed for the potential transfer to Ukraine of\u00a0Polish MiG-29s<\/a>,\u00a0the White House is wise to prioritize weapon systems that can quickly bolster Ukrainian combat capability while minimizing logistical burdens and vulnerability to Russian attack.<\/p>\n The problem, however, is Ukraine will likely expend those 100 Switchblades in mere days, and the\u00a0variant of the Switchblade<\/a>\u00a0Washington is most likely sending is of no serious use against Russian armor. Accordingly, Washington should work with NATO allies to urgently provide Ukraine with additional shipments consisting of greater quantities and varieties of loitering munitions, or LMs.<\/p>\n LMs\u00a0are a\u00a0combination of missiles and aerial surveillance drones<\/a>. They\u00a0blend\u00a0the ability to maneuver, conduct surveillance, and strike targets into a single platform, reducing the time between detection and engagement of a target. That could prove decisive for Ukrainian defenders who may encounter more close-quarters urban combat in the coming days.<\/p>\n LMs vary in size and capability. Loiter time above potential targets can range from minutes to hours, while their munition can be sized to target troops, equipment (with and without armor), or military infrastructure. The systems carry cameras to identify targets and transmit images back to the operator. LMs can\u00a0be\u00a0difficult\u00a0for adversaries<\/a>\u00a0to detect and destroy because of their\u00a0low radar, visual, and thermal signatures<\/a>.<\/p>\n Some LMs can be mounted on and launched from ground vehicles. Smaller versions, such as the Switchblade, can be carried even in backpacks and employed by individual soldiers. This will provide Ukrainian infantry squads with increased combat power that can be easily transported, concealed, and operated. And unlike manned aircraft and larger drones, LMs don\u2019t depend on airfields for employment. That will create real problems for Russian forces, which will have to assume that any Ukrainian infantry may have this capability.<\/p>\n Ukraine has already employed some types of drones during the conflict. The Ukrainians have used their\u00a0Turkish TB-2\u00a0armed drones<\/a>,\u00a0which are not loitering munitions, to devastating effect, as demonstrated in numerous\u00a0videos on social media<\/a>. Turkey provided Ukraine with a much-needed\u00a0resupply\u00a0<\/a>of these drones during the conflict\u2019s first week. TB-2s, however, are quite large, with a wingspan of approximately 12 meters, and must operate from fixed airbases that\u00a0can and have been<\/a>\u00a0targeted by Russia.<\/p>\n To help address urgent military requirements for smaller drones, Ukraine has\u00a0recruited drone hobbyists\u00a0<\/a>operating commercial drones to conduct reconnaissance, and Ukrainians have sometimes resorted to\u00a0jerry-rigging explosives<\/a>\u00a0to the bottom of commercial drones. Ukraine has even created a basic LM system by pairing the\u00a0Punisher drone\u00a0<\/a>with a smaller reconnaissance drone called Spectre, which together have\u00a0reportedly<\/a>\u00a0conducted strikes.<\/p>\n The United States and likeminded allies\u00a0should\u00a0immediately<\/a>\u00a0send more inexpensive commercial systems\u00a0instead of forcing Ukraine to rely on\u00a0Chinese DJI drones<\/a>, which might\u00a0compromise\u00a0<\/a>the operator\u2019s information or be restricted from flying in certain areas via geofencing. But LMs can fill an important gap between the TB-2s (which rely on airfields and incur a significant logistical burden) and makeshift commercial drones that take time to prepare and are less effective than LMs in targeting ground forces.<\/p>\n Accordingly, the United States and likeminded allies should systematically equip the Ukrainian military with a large arsenal of purpose-built LMs. This is especially important because Russia may be\u00a0starting to\u00a0jam<\/a>\u00a0the command and control of TB-2 drones. Moscow has also begun to better integrate its own reconnaissance and combat drones, including the\u00a0ZALA KYB loitering munition<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are several different LMs that countries willing to provide lethal aid to Ukraine have in their arsenal. The aforementioned U.S.\u00a0Switchblade\u00a0has seen\u00a0service in Afghanistan<\/a>. But while it is effective in short-range urban combat and ambushes on unarmored convoys, the Switchblade has limited range compared to some other LMs. And\u00a0contrary to\u00a0some current reporting<\/a>, the Switchblade 300 variant Washington appears to be sending Ukraine (as opposed to the Switchblade 600 variant) cannot destroy most armored vehicles, due to its small munition. Plus, the 100 Switchblades announced this week are only a fraction of the quantity of LMs that Ukraine needs.<\/p>\n So, while Congress should press the administration to send Ukraine more American-made LMs, the United States should solicit help from other countries as well. Turkey operates the\u00a0Kargu-2,<\/a>\u00a0which has seen combat in Libya, and Australia manufactures the\u00a0Drone-40<\/a>, both of which can be useful in an urban environment. Poland\u2019s\u00a0Warmate-series of LMs<\/a>\u00a0can\u00a0strike targets out to roughly 9 km. The Warmate\u2019s portability and range make it suitable for disrupting Russian supply convoys from a safe distance.<\/p>\n If these LMs are not already being sent to Ukraine en masse, they should be.<\/p>\n Notably, Israel operates some of the\u00a0most advanced LM capabilities\u00a0but thus far\u00a0has\u00a0not provided<\/a>\u00a0Ukraine\u00a0with lethal aid, needing to tread carefully with\u00a0Moscow given that Russia could\u00a0hamper\u00a0Israeli operations in Syria<\/a>\u00a0against their arch-enemy, Iran. Not providing military capabilities to Ukraine may also enable Jerusalem to help mediate an end to the war. However, if Israel decides to permit third-party transfers of Israeli-made weapons to Ukraine, the\u00a0Harop\u00a0and\u00a0Orbiter\u00a0LMs should be at the top of the list.<\/p>\n LMs can provide Ukraine with a robust additional capability to strike Russian forces from the air, especially as those forces linger on roads, consolidate around Ukrainian cities, or move into urban areas. LMs can deliver this capability in large quantities at a fraction of the cost and logistical footprint associated with operating and maintaining fighter jets or large drones.<\/p>\n The U.S. arms shipment announced Wednesday is a positive step, but it should not be the last. Working with allies, Washington should urgently send another tranche of weapons to Ukraine, and that shipment should include a greater quantity and variety of loitering munitions.<\/p>\n