A recent video circulating online appears to show a rare American Switchblade 600 drone attacking a Russian anti-aircraft system, possibly a 9K331 Tor-M1 or 9K332 Tor-M2.
Footage Remain Scarce
These systems are capable of targeting drones, making them formidable adversaries for Ukraine’s forces. Judging from the footage, which is of low quality, it seems the Tor system was in transit during the strike, as its radar was not fully deployed.
The Switchblade 600, often compared to a long-range FGM-148 Javelin, has been in Ukraine's arsenal in greater numbers since 2024, though images or footage of it in action remain scarce, according to WP.
Designed to take out armored vehicles and infantry formations, the Switchblade 600 delivers far more destructive force than its smaller counterpart, the Switchblade 300.
Equipped with a dual-function warhead similar to that of the Javelin, the Switchblade 600 can destroy advanced Russian tanks such as the T-90M, T-72B3M, and T-80BWM.
In an alternate attack mode, the drone disperses high-impact shrapnel over a wide area, making it effective against larger groups of infantry.
Each Switchblade 600 weighs around 15 kilograms and is launched from a mortar-like tube, bringing the full launch setup to 29.5 kg. The drone has an impressive range of up to 90 kilometers with signal amplification, though its typical effective strike range is about 40 kilometers.
With stabilized daytime and infrared cameras, encrypted communication, and up to 40 minutes of air time, the Switchblade 600 is a robust and specialized tool on the battlefield.
AeroVironment, the manufacturer, claims a flight speed of up to 70 mph, which increases to over 115 mph during the attack.
The Switchblade’s advanced tracking algorithms allow it to lock onto and pursue targets autonomously, even reattempting a strike if it misses on the first approach, giving Ukrainian forces a cutting-edge tool against Russia's heavy armor and mobile anti-aircraft systems.
