US manufacturer Aerovironment is developing a small, lethal unmanned air vehicle named Switchblade to meet potential operational requirements in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Information released by the company to investors on 23 January says: "We are developing a hand-held, lethal small unmanned air system with the ability to eliminate a target quickly and with minimal collateral damage through detonation of an on-board explosive."
To be launched by one person and operated using Aerovironment's standard ground control unit, the Switchblade system "could significantly improve the ability to neutralise hostile elements such as snipers, machine guns and mortar launchers", the company says.
The concept "will allow the operator to identify a threat on the ground control unit, lock on to it and neutralise it by triggering an autonomous terminal guidance phase", it adds.
Aerovironment is meanwhile negotiating a three-year contract to demonstrate the tactical utility of its liquid hydrogen-fuelled Global Observer high-altitude, long-endurance UAV to the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) from next year.
A pre-solicitation notice released by SOCOM on 12 January says the potential $129 million joint capability technology demonstration will see Global Observer "demonstrate the tactical utility of a hydrogen-powered unmanned air system for long duration [five- to seven-day] missions at altitudes from 55,000-65,000ft [16,800-19,800m]." A prototype of the Global Observer platform conducted its first flight from a US Army site in Arizona in May 2005.
Source: Flight International
