An Area-I Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated, Unmanned System, or ALTIUS, sails through the skies at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., March 4. (Jose Mejia-Betancourth/CCDC AvMC Technology Development Directorate)
The United States Department of Defense announced on February 24, the one-year anniversary of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, that it will be supplying more drones to Kiev forces as part of a new $2 billion military aid package.
The new weapons will be provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the Pentagon to purchase weapons from industry rather than draw from the U.S. Army.
As a part of the new military aid package, Kiev forces will receive for the first time the Altius 600, a small drone developed by Area-I. The tube-launched drone has a range of 444 kilometers and endurance of more than four hours. The manufacturer says that the drone can operate as a loitering munition.
The package also includes the AeroVironment Jump 20 fixed-wing, vertical takeoff and landing drone, which has an endurance of 14 hours and a range of 185 kilometers.
Kiev forces will also get CyberLux K8 handheld quadcopter surveillance drones as well as more AeroVironment Switchblade 600 loitering munitions with a range of 80 kilometers and an endurance of up to 20 minutes.
A Jump 20 Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System takes off on Oct. 13, 2022, on San Clemente Island, California. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Collin MacKown)
The new $2 billion military aid package also includes more ammunition for M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, more ammunition for 155 mm artillery, more munitions for unspecified laser-guided rocket systems as well as unspecified anti-drone and electronic warfare detection equipment.
Ukraine has received thousands of drones from the U.S. and other allies since the start of the Russian special military operation operation.
Many Ukrainian drones were shot down, destroyed on the ground or even captured by the Russian military. Nevertheless, drones, especially small ones, continue to play a key role in the offensive and defensive tactics of Kiev forces in the special military operation zone.
