By J. Michael Cole
Several few weeks ago The Diplomat reported that the U.S. military was developing unmanned aerial vehicles that are capable of making life-and-death “decisions” on their own, without the need for human input. This scenario, which immediately drew comparisons to at least one famous apocalyptic science-fiction movie, is worrying enough, raising fears of hordes of “sentient” drones turning on their former masters. Now there’s something else out there to worry about, and this one is much closer to seeing action in warzones — the “kamikaze” drone.
About a year ago, reports emerged that the U.S. Army had placed its first order for “Switchblade” drones, small explosive-laden unmanned aerial devices that are launched from a tube and capable of loitering over an area until the order is given to dive at a target and detonate its charge. About the size of a backpack, the “Switchblade,” acquired as part of the Army’s Close Combat Weapons Systems project, acts as what is known as a standoff agile munition, with the soldier using video feed or GPS to identify targets and call in a “suicide” attack. The 2.5 kg Switchblade has an operational radius of 10 km, with an endurance of 10 minutes and an operational altitude below 500 feet (though it can reach 15,000 feet).
Unlike cruise or ballistic missiles, “suicide” drones make it possible for the controller to call off an attack even after the device has been “armed,” when, for example, a target has moved to a new position, or if the risks of collateral are deemed too high due to changes on the ground. The applications for dense combat environments, and perhaps even urban theaters of operations involving beyond-line-of-sight targets, are evident. The drones could furthermore provide yet another tool for targeted killings of high-profile (and oftentimes mobile) targets.
Read the full story at The Diplomat