Trying to catch up with the Russian Federation and Ukraine: in the United States it is not possible to make cheap FPV-pts-Forbes

In July 2023, the Pentagon announced a new program of persecution and shock at low altitudes (Lasso). The new weapon, which is a percussion drone for infantry, was urgently needed. It is not excluded that this project of the US MIC was inspired by Ukraine, where small drones burned Russian armored vehicles from a long distance. But instead of cheap drones, Americans swung on a more serious weapon. Lasso is a portable drone with a lethal combat load that runs from a special tubular platform.

It covers an electro -optic/infrared sensor, a high -precision flight control and the ability to fly, track and strike goals outside the direct visibility, and armored vehicles with high -precision fire. Currently, Lasso consists of three modules: a launcher, UAV and fire control stations. The device would start with compressed air or other gas, and only then would open the wings. Lasso will be equipped with an infrared sensor or thermal imaging.

They are still rare on FPV because they usually increase the cost of $ 200- $ 500, so they are usually absent on FPV daytime. In Ukraine, it is the cost of a whole drone that is often used by the military in combat positions. Lasso requirements include a 20 kilometers' flight range and the ability to destroy armored vehicles, including tanks, performing the same functions as FPV.

Lasso will allow a soldier to carry out several turns in the usual IBCT combat space, capture and attack the targets both within and outside the crew service area and small arms. In December 2023, Aerovionment announced that the US Army chose their Switchblade 600 to meet Lasso requirements. Switchblade 600, released in 2020, is the older brother Switchblade 300 with greater flight range and more powerful combat part.

The latter has been widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan against "highly valuable goals" since about 2012. The US Army intends to buy 294 ammunition Switchblade 600 Lasso at a price of $ 170,000 apiece. It also acquires 54 ground control blocks. Instead of commercial controllers worth several hundred dollars, which are found in Ukrainian FPV operators, these cost $ 69 204 each.