WASHINGTON: The Pentagon stated on Thursday that the newly revealed "Ghost" drones that are part of America's latest weaponry package for Ukraine were created by the US Air Force for hitting targets and are destroyed after a single use (Apr 21).

        As Moscow strives to salvage its almost two-month-old war, the US and its allies have increased weaponry shipments to Kyiv ahead of Russia's anticipated onslaught in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have efficiently targeted Russian locations with Western weaponry such as Stinger and Javelin missiles, as well as drones such as the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and the US-made Switchblade.

        The White House said earlier on Thursday that Ukraine will get over 121 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems as part of the latest weaponry deal. The Ghost drones, according to the Pentagon, are perfectly suited for the next battle in Ukraine's Donbas area, which authorities have described as flat terrain resembling Kansas in the United States. "It was created for a set of needs that very nearly match what the Ukrainians needed right now in Donbas," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. Kirby declined to provide any other information on the drones, including their range and precision skills. 

        Nonetheless, he stated that they were primarily built for striking targets. "Of course, it may also be utilized to provide you a visual representation of what it's viewing. Its main concentration, though, is on assault "Kirby remarked. Switchblade drones are single-use weapons that fly into their targets and detonate on contact. A limited number of Ukrainians have been trained in the United States to operate them.

        Kirby stated that Ghost drone training will be comparable to Switchblade training. However, he refused to go into specifics about training plans or how many Ukrainians will be trained on the new system. The Ghost drones are still on their way to Ukraine.

        Earlier on Thursday, Kirby stated that the drones were constructed quickly for Ukraine. However, he subsequently emphasized at a press conference that development had begun prior to the Russian invasion on February 24. "However, we will continue to drive that development forward in ways that are responsive to Ukrainian requests for tactical unmanned aerial systems in eastern Ukraine," Kirby added.