What are Ghost drones? All you need to know about custom-made weapons for Ukraine designed to attack

The US has deployed special attacking Ghost drones to Ukraine in its military aid (Image via Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The United States' newest $800 million military aid package for Ukraine introduces a novel line of Ghost drones that have never been deployed in combat before. This brings up the USA's total funds allocation for Ukraine's military assistance to $3.4 billion since Russia invaded the country on February 24.

The new Ghost drone model dubbed the 'Phoenix Ghost' is specifically designed to aid Ukraine's upcoming clash with Russian forces in the former's eastern Donbas region, as per the Pentagon.

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The US deploys customized attacking Ghost drones to Ukraine

Earlier, a senior US defense official had said that the Phoenix Ghost "was rapidly developed by the Air Force, in response, specifically, for Ukrainian requirements," implying that it was designed two months after Russia invaded Ukraine.

However, the claim was later disputed by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby, who told the press on Thursday:

"It was developed before (the invasion), but it was developed for a set of requirements that very closely match what the Ukrainians need right now in Donbas."

Noting that the package included 121 units of the Ghost drone, he added:

"You're not going to have 120 on your shelves if you just started [building] them on the February 24."

Kirby did not delve into the specifics, but he revealed that the drone's functions lend themselves well to "this particular kind of terrain," referring to Ukraine's eastern region of Donbas, where Russia has focused its assault over the past week.

Though the drone was not custom-designed for Ukrainian requirements from scratch, Kirby added:

"We will continue to move that development in ways attuned to Ukrainian requirements for unmanned aerial systems of a tactical nature in eastern Ukraine."

Demystifying the Phoenix Ghost's specific functionality, Kirby revealed:

"(The Phoenix Ghost), 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."

Designed by California-based AEVEX Aerospace, tactical drones like the Ghost drone are designed to "deliver a punch."

Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and a member of the Aevex board, retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula, said:

"(The Phoenix Ghost) is a different type of aircraft. It's a one-way aircraft that is effective against medium armored ground targets. 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."

Kirby likened the Phoenix Ghost to the US's existing Switchblade drones, which were already previously made available to Ukrainian soldiers. He said:

"Its purpose is akin to that of the Switchblade, which is basically a one-way drone, an attack drone. And that's essentially what this is designed to do".

Both drones are programmed with the ultimate goal of detonating an anti-armor warhead upon crashing into their high-value targets. However, Ghost drones can outlinger Switchblade drones sixfold. The training for the former will be similar to that employed in the case of the Switchblade drones.

Interestingly, since the Phoenix Drone is not meant to rise again as its name implies, Kirby concedes that it's a misnomer.