Australia to purchase U.S.-made 'killer drones'

Adoption of armed drones by Canberra has been slow, expert says

20240708 Switchblade maritime target strike

A Switchblade drone strikes a target at sea. (Australian Department of Defence)

SHAUN TURTON, Nikkei staff writer

SYDNEY -- Australia will equip troops with U.S.-made Switchblade 300 drones, the government announced on Monday, amid a broader effort to increase unmanned military aerial systems.

Known as precision loitering munitions, demand for such weapons, which crash into their target and detonate, has "surged" following their use in conflicts in Azerbaijan, the Red Sea and Ukraine, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a recent brief.

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