In this paper authors propose the approach for investigation of photonic switches performance metrics in modern all-optical networks. The approach includes photonic switches analytical and simulation modeling. The analytical model of the 4 × 4-photonic switch is based on the M/M/1/4 queuing model using so-called probability translation matrix method that allows to investigate functioning of the system in transient mode. The analytical expressions of such performance metrics as a loss probability, a buffer size and a transient time are obtained. A comparison of analytical and simulation modeling results was carried out. The analysis show that the steady-state loss probability obtained in results of analytical modeling is greater than the analogous parameter obtained in results of simulation modelling by 8%. The study of simulation models of 4×4 and 16 × 16-photonic switches show that the buffer size of these systems does not exceed one packet. Analysis of the 16×16-photonic switch buffer show that the buffer size of the first cascade is four times larger than the buffer of the second cascade. The results of the investigation show that the proposed type of photonic switches can be used in the high-performance alloptical network designed to transmit information from the ground module to tethered high-altitude unmanned module and vice versa.