| Aevex Phoenix Ghost | |
|---|---|
| Type | Loitering munition |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Wars | 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Aevex Aerospace |
| Specifications | |
Operational range | 6+ hour flight duration |
Guidance system | Autonomous; manual |
The Aevex Phoenix Ghost is a family of aerial loitering munitions (explosive drones) designed by American company Aevex Aerospace. According to a senior US defense official, initial versions were broadly similar to the AeroVironment Switchblade, [1] but later designs were larger and more capable. [2]
The Phoenix Ghost's primary purpose is to deliver an explosive munition to a human-selected target. The drone can loiter over an area for up to six hours, and can conduct surveillance. [3] [4] It is effective against medium-armored ground targets. It has infrared sensors for night operations. [4]
In October 2024, Aevex revealed that Phoenix Ghost wasn't a single drone, but an effort that produced several designs of different sizes and configurations. Examples include: [2]
In April 2022, the United States Department of Defense stated that the Phoenix Ghost was developed before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and that it was a "close match" for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the battle of Donbas. [5] [6] It was later revealed that the Phoenix Ghost was a project under the Big Safari weapons program. [7]
After initially sending 120 in April, it was announced in July 2022 that another 580 Phoenix Ghosts would be delivered beginning the next month [8] [9] [10] as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). The Phoenix Ghost weapons were being provided to Ukraine via a new procurement by the United States, unlike the other weapons the US has provided to Ukraine in the early months following the invasion in February 2022. [11] A U.S. aid package announced in November 2022 included more than 1,100 Phoenix Ghosts. [12]
At the height of deliveries, Aevex was shipping 230 loitering munitions to Ukraine each month. By June 2024, the company had delivered 4,000 drones under U.S. military contracts, 1,800 of which were pledged to Ukraine. [2]
United States 
Ukraine 
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The Ukrainians have been making excellent use of the Phoenix Ghost system," a senior defense official, who was also unnamed, said in the statement released by the Pentagon on Monday. "This action allows us to go out and procure from industry additional capability. That's where USAI is different from drawdown—this is actually a procurement action. And with the Phoenix Ghost system, what we'll be able to do is ensure steady deliveries of this capability starting in August to ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have a continual supply of this capability.
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