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Phoenix Ghost Drones Developed by US in Response to Ukrainian Requirements

John Kirby, the press secretary of the US Defense Department

22 April 2022 01:28 (UTC +04:00)

The Phoenix Ghost drones have been developed by the United States in response to Ukrainian requirements and will require minimal training, a senior US defense official said during a press briefing, APA reports citing Sputnik.

"What I can tell you about the Phoenix Ghost [drone] is this was rapidly developed by the [US] Air Force in response specifically to Ukrainian requirements," the official said on Thursday. "It will require some minimal training for knowledgeable UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] operators to be able to use it and we are going to be working through those training requirements directly with the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

The Phoenix Ghost drones provide similar capabilities to the Switchblade but not exactly the same ones as there are some differences in the capabilities for the Phoenix, the official clarified.

Later in the day, Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby explained that the Phoenix Ghost drone had been in development by the US Air Force before the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine on February 24. The discussions that Pentagon had with Ukrainians made the US defense officials believe that this drone system will “nicely suit their needs, particularly in eastern Ukraine.”