2025-10-29
6 分钟The Economist Hello, this is Jason Palmer,
co-host of The Intelligence, our daily news and current affairs podcast.
This is Editor's Picks,
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American switchblade drones were once cutting edge.
Fast, clever and precise, they were essential kit for special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But when a batch of switchblade 300s reached Ukraine in 2022, high hopes were quickly shattered.
The drones were too expensive.
They struggled against Russian electronic warfare.
They caused minimal damage when they hit their targets.
When we tested them, they glitched under jamming conditions,
says Valeri Borovic, a military drone developer.
When one hit the rear window of a minibus, the front windows didn't even shatter.
Since then,
various Western companies have sought to showcase their drones on what has become the world's best testing ground.
But they have largely fallen flat.
Ukrainian companies that once looked to emulate Western tech heroes like Anderyl and Helsing,
now find themselves plotting a path for those multi-billion euro companies to follow.
Mr Borovik, whose drones have been linked to those used in Operation Spiderweb,