KAMIKAZE DRONES

1.Context

Kamikaze drones had struck Ukraine‘s cities. The country has accused Iran of supplying Russia with them The governor of Zaporizhzhia said Iranian-made Shahid -136 drones had damaged two infrastructure facilities in the city.

Ukraine has received its Kamikaze drones from the US.

2.About Kamikaze drones

• These are small unmanned aircraft packed with explosives, which explode on hitting the target.
• The drones versions can surpass traditional defenses to strike their targets and are cheaper than their larger counterparts
• These small drones are difficult to detect on radar and can be programmed to hit targets without human intervention
• The name is derived from the feared Japanese Kamikaze pilots from World War II, who conducted suicide attacks by crashing their explosives-filled aircraft into enemy targets.
• The US Kamikaze drones are cheaper and come in two sizes.
• The Switchblade 300 suicide drone weighs about five pounds, can fly for up to 15 minutes at a time, and is designed to be carried in a backpack.
• The Switchblades 600 weighs about 50 pounds can fly for up to 40 minutes and is known as a "loitering missile " that hover around the area for some time and targets armored vehicles.

3.Features

• Kamikaze drones are crewless aerial vehicles loaded with explosives that can fly directly to tanks or units and explode on collision.
• The technique has been advanced in modern warfare. Japanese kamikaze pilots knowingly crashed their aircraft into enemy targets during World War II.
• These small, lethal drones can be programmed to hit targets without human intervention through facial recognition It can also stay in the air doing nothing for a long time.

4.Countries with kamikaze drones

• US Kamikaze might be the most advanced in this class of drones. Russia, China; Israel, Iran, and Turkey all have some versions of it.
• Some countries have admitted to using such armed drones, while others have been accused of utilizing them to carry out covert attacks.
• According to the US military, Iranian-backed militias have used small drones in 10 attacks on American military bases in Iraq
• Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen used suicide drones to blow up Saudi oil facilities in 2019.