Phoenix Ghost, who produces and how the new drones sent by Biden to Ukraine work
The new US military aid package will include ammunition and heavy artillery including Phoenix Ghost drones. All the details
The US sends Phoenix Ghost, the new drone created especially for Ukraine by the Pentagon, to Kiev.
Yesterday, US President Joe Biden announced at the White House that he had signed another $ 800 million package of military aid for Kiev against the Russian offensive in the east of the country.
The pack includes ammo, heavy artillery, howitze guns and drones. But not only the already known Switchblades . The US aviation has in fact created new drones specifically to meet the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces.Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told CNN . This is the Phoenix Ghost system, designed by the American Aevex Aerospace, of which the US will send 121 pieces.
So far, the United States has never deployed the new line of drones in combat, highlights Fortune .
Compared to the Switchblades, the so-called kamikaze drones already sent by the United States, these have a wider "range", Kirby said without giving any further details.
The new weapons package containing the Poenix Ghost drones "will start in the next 24-48 hours" and will arrive in the hands of the Ukrainian forces "over the weekend". The Biden administration has provided approximately $ 3.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
Everything you need to know about Phoenix Ghost drones.
WHAT IS THE PHOENIX GHOST DRONE
As Rid points out , “It is the new Phoenix Ghost tactical UAV that has attracted most of the attention. It is a circulating ammunition produced for the US Air Force by Aevex Aerospace, whose existence had never been revealed before and whose technical characteristics would not be available at the moment ”.
FEATURES
A Pentagon official said the new drone would have similar capabilities to the Switchblade drone – which is small enough to carry in a backpack, launch easily, and explode after it crashes into its target – but doesn't comment further on its range.
The Phoenix Ghost is similar to the Switchblade unmanned systems previously delivered to Ukraine, the official added. It is in fact a "one-way drone" that is "clearly designed to hit" a variety of different types of targets. This likely means that the Phoenix Ghost is a low-cost single-use drone that acts like stray ammunition – it flies through airspace before ramming itself into a target.
Unlike its name (phoenix), the unmanned aerial vehicle is designed to be flown only once.
Previously, a different Pentagon official had implied that the Phoenix Ghost was made specifically for Ukraine. However, spokesman Kirby said the drone was in development long before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.
THE DIFFERENCES WITH SWITCHBLADE DRONES
Most notably there are differences in the "scope of capabilities for Phoenix Ghost, but I won't be able to go into more detail about these capabilities," the official said, citing the new system's classification.
WHAT AEVEX AEROSPACE DOES
However, Aevex Aerospace's role in the design and production of Phoenix Ghost remains unclear, highlights Breaking Defense .
As stated on its website, Aevex Aerospace, based in Solana Beach, California, supports the US National Security Mission and the needs of partner nations around the world by providing aviation, remote sensing and full spectrum analytics solutions.
Aevex aims to be “a recognized leader in full spectrum airborne intelligence solutions”. The company has experience in the management of manned and unmanned intelligence aircraft, in the exploitation of the data they collect and in the fabrication of drones or mission systems.
In particular, “uses agile and personalized approaches to define; rapidly develop and deliver specialized solutions for special mission needs for the US government, partner nations and commercial enterprises, ”the company emphasizes.
The company has offices in California, Massachusetts; New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/non-solo-switchblade-gli-usa-inviano-a-kiev-i-nuovi-droni-phoenix-ghost/ on Fri, 22 Apr 2022 09:36:22 +0000.