The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency recently announced that it will sell 1,000 "Switchblade" cruise missiles worth $360 million to the other side. The United States plans to use a large number of drones, unmanned boats and submarines to change the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait. In the future military reunification, how do these cruise missiles compare with the PLA's cruise missiles?

First of all, the United States' cruise missile technology is relatively advanced. Cruise missiles combine the characteristics of missiles and drones. They can not only cruise and scout targets, but also directly attack targets. After the United States first proposed the concept of cruise missiles in 1994, it began to develop a "net fire" weapon system. This system adopts the concept of "network center" to disperse heavy firepower to light storage and transportation launch boxes. Each launch box is loaded with 8 cruise missiles and can be unmanned for 72 hours, providing tactical commanders with precise firepower and real-time evaluation of damage effects. Although the "Netfire" system was cancelled in 2010 due to the high difficulty and cost of development, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency turned to develop a smaller cruise missile, the "Switchblade" cruise missile.

The "Switchblade" cruise missile consists of a launcher, a cruise missile and a ground control station, and is easy for a single soldier to carry. It uses batteries and electric motors to drive a two-blade propeller to fly, with a maximum flight altitude of 3,000 meters, a range of 39 kilometers, and can cruise for up to 50 minutes. It can transmit video signals in real time and attack targets at a speed of 157 kilometers per hour. The directional warhead is as powerful as a grenade, suitable for special forces and guerrillas, and can provide fast and accurate fire support.

In actual combat, the "Switchblade" cruise missile performed well. Although only 75 were used in Afghanistan, the United States provided Ukraine with a large number of "Switchblade" 300 and 600 cruise missiles during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The Ukrainian army used these cruise missiles to ambush, making up for the lack of air support. Although the Switchblade 300 has limited power, the Switchblade 600 can effectively strike tanks and armored vehicles. In contrast, the ST-35 "Silent Thunder" cruise missile developed by Ukraine itself, although its technology is not as good as the Switchblade, has also achieved certain results on the battlefield. Russia's "Lancet"-3M cruise missile is cheap and performs well, especially in air defense suppression missions. Although the "Switchblade" technology is more mature, the number is insufficient and its performance on the battlefield is not as good as the "Lancet"-3M.

For China, the development of cruise missiles is also rapid. China has several cruise missiles similar to the "Switchblade" 300, such as the Feilong-10 individual cruise missile and the Blue Heron-30 individual cruise missile. They are propelled by electric propellers, have a 30-minute hovering time, and a maximum flight speed of 200 kilometers per hour. The S570 cruise missile of Guide Infrared Company and the ZT-5 cruise missile of Zhongtian Company also have their own characteristics and can meet the needs of different battlefields. In addition, the CH-901 cruise missile of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation also performs well in reconnaissance and attack capabilities.

It is worth mentioning that China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation has launched the CM-501 cruise missile, which is a multi-purpose weapon system that integrates target reconnaissance, command and control, precision strike, and damage assessment. It can not only be launched vertically, but also can be launched obliquely with a box rocket launcher, adapting to a variety of battlefield environments. The CM-501 cruise missile has advanced technology, high strike accuracy, and powerful warhead, which is suitable for attacking solid fortifications and large ships.

China has also combined cruise missiles with the concept of drone "swarms" to launch the Swarm 1 unmanned combat system, which can launch a large number of cruise missiles in a short period of time, forming a powerful firepower coverage that is difficult to be intercepted by the enemy's defense system. Another "dark blade" unmanned vehicle-mounted cruise missile system uses autonomous navigation off-road and long standby capabilities to enhance battlefield survivability and attack effectiveness.

In short, cruise missiles have become a new combat method on the modern battlefield. Although the US's "Switchblade" cruise missiles are technologically mature, their number is limited and they cannot gain an advantage over the PLA's rapidly developing cruise missiles and anti-UAV means. Cruise missiles will play an increasingly important role on future battlefields, but to truly change the situation, it is necessary to use a variety of weapon systems and tactics in a comprehensive manner.