우크라이나에게 주려고 급히 새로 만든 Phoenix Ghost

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4월 21일 미국 국방부 브리핑에서 미국공군이 우크라이나를 위해 맞춤으로 급히 새로 만든 Phoenix Ghost라는 것이 있다고 하네요. 보병이 들고 다니다가 날리면 하늘을 날다가 표적을 발견하고 내리 꽂히는 Switchblade와 비슷한데 우크라니아의 요구사항을 반영했다고 합니다. 특히 동쪽 돈바스에서 쓸모가 있을 것이라고 하네요.

지금까지 보병과 전차는 10 km 떨어져 있으면 서로에게 위협이 되지 않고 2 km 이내로 들어와야 전차포가 보병을 위협하고 또 보병의 재블린과 NLAW가 전차를 위협합니다.

그런데 보병과 포병은 40 km 떨어져 있고 포병이 보병의 위치를 알면 포병만 보병을 일방적으로 때릴 수 있습니다. 미국이 만들어서 우크라이나에게 주는 새로운 보병 휴대 가능한 loitering 자폭 드론은 보병에게 40 km 떨어져 있는 포병을 때릴 수 있는 수단을 처음으로 주는 것입니다.

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL 1:  Look, on -- on your -- on your first one, I won't go any further than what I did, Tara.  It was rapidly developed by the -- by the Air Force specifically in response to Ukrainian requirements, and I'm going to have to leave it at that.  And I'll defer to our second briefer on your other question.

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Q:  Hey, [SDO #1], thank you for taking my question.

I wanted to ask about Phoenix Ghost.  You -- you mentioned that it was similar to Switchblade, but I was wondering if you could further characterize how is it -- I mean, is this armed, is this -- is it -- behave similar to a loitering munition in the same way that Switchblade does?  And can you say anything about the Ukrainians' specific requirements that kind of form the basis for this system?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL 1:  Yeah, I'm -- I'm going to be loath to get into much more detail about the system at this point, for classification purposes, but you can safely assume that in -- in general it -- it works -- it -- it -- it provides the -- the -- the same sort of tactical capability that a Switchblade does.  You know, a Switchblade is -- is a one-way drone, if you will. And -- and it clearly is designed to deliver -- to deliver a punch. It's a tactical UAS. And the Phoenix Ghost is -- is -- is of that same category. I -- but I'm not going to be able to provide, at this point, a lot more detail of the parameters and the specifications of the -- of the Phoenix Ghost. Again, it was developed rapidly by the -- by the Air Force to specifically address some of the Ukrainian requirements.

Again, it's very much -- I mean, this -- this addition to the PDA packages is very much an outgrowth, a very tangible outgrowth, of what we've been talking about now for weeks, which is the constant conversation we're having with the Ukrainians about what they need. And this is a great example of adapting -- adapting to their needs in real time.

So in that sense it's -- it's quite important. But I won't be able to get into more detail about the specifications at this time.

Q:  If I could just follow up really quickly, can you confirm‎ that the Air Force was able to develop this within the last, you know, two months, like, since the invasion, or was this something that had been in the hopper for a bit longer?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL 1:  I -- I'm just going to leave it where I said. It was developed in direct response to Ukrainian requirements. But I -- I'm -- I'm not at liberty right now to talk more about the production of this thing.

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Q:  And -- and, Senior Defense Official Number 1, can I ask you if the -- the Phoenix is an anti-personnel or anti-armor weapon?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL 1:  Again, I don't want to get more into the specifics of the capabilities, David, but -- but it is a tactical UAS that -- that is designed to deliver a punch. And I think you -- you could expect that it would be useful against a number of different targets.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3008974/senior-defense-officials-hold-a-background-briefing/

Senior Defense Officials Hold a Background Briefing

그런데 언론 담당 John Kirby는 브리핑에서 Phoenix Ghost는 러시아의 침공 전부터 개발하고 있었다고 정정했습니다.

MR. KIRBY:  And then on the Phoenix Ghost, this is a drone that had been in development before the invasion, clearly.  The Air Force was working this.  And in discussions with the Ukrainians, again, about their requirements, we believed that this particular system would very nicely suit their needs, particularly in eastern Ukraine.  And so, it was already in development, but we will continue to move that development in ways that are attuned to Ukrainian requirements for unmanned aerial systems of a tactical nature in eastern Ukraine.

I am just not going to get into great detail about the specifications here.  I would just tell you that this unmanned aerial system is designed for tactical operations.  In other words, largely and but not exclusively to attack targets.  It, like almost all unmanned aerial systems, of course, has optics.  So it can also be used to give you a sight picture of what it's seeing, of course.  But its principal focus is attack. 

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Q:  Are these more capable than the Switchblade?  Is that why you --

MR. KIRBY:  They have different capabilities than the Switchblade.

Q:  OK.  Are you able to say what it is?

MR. KIRBY:  No, that's about as far as I'm going to go on it.

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MR. KIRBY:  It was developed before. Obviously this was a system in development before. I mean you're not going to have 120 on your shelves if you just started buying on the 24th of February.  What, I probably wasn't as well worded as I should have been or it should have been.

But it was developed for a set of requirements that very closely match what the Ukrainians need right now in Donbas.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3007440/pentagon-press-secretary-john-f-kirby-holds-a-press-briefing/

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing

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https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/21/mystery-drone-air-force-new-weapon-ukraine-00026970
스위치 블레이드의 체공시간은 1시간 미만인데 비해, 이 물건은 6시간 이상이라고 합니다.
>The drone can take off vertically, fly for six-plus hours searching for or tracking a target, and operate at night using its infrared sensors, Deptula said. Phoenix Ghost has a longer loitering capability than the Switchblade, which can fly for less than an hour, he said.

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오 6시간이면 배터리만으로 가능할까요? 아니면 작은 피스톤 엔진이라도 달았을지...

[ssn688]

the drive 기사 댓글에 이런 거 비슷하지 않겠냐는 링크가 보였습니다. 페이로드 1kg에 6시간까지 체공이네요.
https://www.uavfordrone.com/product/6-hours-endurance-flight-long-range-vtol-for-mapping-and-surveillance/

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" effective against medium armored ground targets " 이려면 탄두가 1 kg는 너무 작지 않을까요?

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앗 NLAW도 탄두 무게는 그냥 1.8 kg네용.

[ssn688]

페이로드에 카메라도 들어가야 할 테니 위의 것보다는 잡아늘려야 할 필요는 있겠습니다;;;