Pentagon to send 10 Switchblade drones, other equipment to Ukraine: report

The Pentagon will send a second batch of arms to Ukraine as the country enters its second month under Russian invasion.

The U.S. will send a variety of equipment to aid in Ukrainian defense, including 10 Switchblade drones, which are armed with tank-busting warheads, according to multiple reports.

“We’re going to continue to support Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. We’re going to do that as much as we can and as fast as we can,” Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby said at a news conference Monday.

The Switchblade is a small drone weighing less than 5 pounds and mounted with a small explosive warhead, according to Forbes. They are designed to attack personnel and light vehicles, can fly about six miles and hover over a target for about 15 minutes. One they are launched, however, they cannot be recalled.

The equipment is part of the $300 million in lethal military assistance announced by the Pentagon last Friday, which also includes tactical secure communications systems, nonstandard machine guns and other defense systems.

The aid comes after the Biden administration announced that it would provide $800 million in new assistance for Ukraine last month. The aid provided 800 anti-aircraft systems, 9,000 anti-armor systems, 7,000 small arms such as machine guns and shotguns, and a total of 20 million rounds including artillery and mortar.