20 Things You Didn't Know About Die Another Day
12. “If Our Radar Can’t See Those Switchblades, The North Koreans Sure As Hell Can’t!”
Die Another Day increasingly relies upon paraphernalia and effects that cross into the unbelievable, but the radar-invisible Switchblades that Double-0 Seven and Jinx ride into North Korea towards the end of the film are actually rooted in reality. They were based on the Programmable High Altitude Single Soldier Transport (PHASST) system developed by Kinetic Aerospace, Inc.
Kinetic’s lead designer, Jack McCornack praised the film’s depiction of the PHASST system, commenting that “It’s brief, but realistic. The good guys get in unobserved, thanks to a fast cruise, good glide performance, and minimal radar signature. It’s a wonderful promotion for the PHASST”.
The Switchblade scenes were shot against a blue screen entirely on the ground at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, whose facilities and personnel also doubled for the US airbase in South Korea featured at the end of the film.