July 2025 Breakthrough: MQ-9A Reaper Successfully Launches Switchblade 600 in Landmark Mid-Air Test

A U.S. MQ-9A Reaper launches a Switchblade 600 loitering munition mid-flight during a successful July 2025 test at Yuma Proving Ground, marking a major advancement in unmanned precision strike capabilities

 In July 2025, the U.S. military completed a landmark test of the Switchblade 600 loitering munition launched mid-flight from a General Atomics MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper drone. This event, conducted at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground, represents a major leap forward in how unmanned aerial systems can be used to deliver precision munitions without putting American personnel or high-value platforms at unnecessary risk. It was not a combat engagement, but rather a real-world demonstration of advanced capabilities that will eventually be applied across U.S. joint operations in high-threat environments.

The MQ-9A Reaper, particularly the Block 5 configuration, has evolved significantly since its early service years. Originally developed as a hunter-killer UAV for operations in permissive airspace, it has become a much more versatile multi-role asset. With an operational ceiling exceeding 50,000 feet and a mission endurance over 40 hours, it provides both persistent surveillance and strike capability. Block 5 includes enhancements like improved generator capacity, higher-bandwidth data links, modular payload support, and software upgrades that make integration of next-generation weapon systems like the Switchblade 600 feasible without the need for platform replacement.

The Switchblade 600 is a tube-launched, man-portable loitering munition developed by AeroVironment. It fills a capability gap between fixed-wing drones and traditional missile systems. The weapon is designed for rapid deployment against enemy vehicles, hardened positions, and other high-value targets. Equipped with an electro-optical/infrared sensor suite, GPS/INS navigation, and a high-explosive anti-armor warhead, the SB600 allows operators to perform surveillance, confirm targets, and execute strikes in real time. It is small, quiet, and difficult to detect, with a flight time of up to 40 minutes and a range that allows for standoff employment far beyond the frontline. Its ability to be retargeted in flight or waved off entirely enhances decision-making flexibility and minimizes unintended effects.

During the test, two munitions were deployed from the Reaper: one inert, used to validate launch and flight dynamics, and one fully armed with a live warhead. After release, each munition stabilized, deployed wings and propulsion systems, and entered controlled loitering flight. The live munition was not used against an actual target in a combat environment; instead, it was guided through simulated mission parameters to verify functional performance. Crucially, control of the munitions was successfully transferred from the drone’s primary ground station to a secondary tactical operator located closer to the target area. This remote handoff is a significant development—it allows mission control to be shifted in real time, enabling forward-deployed units or other UAV operators to assume targeting and strike authority.

The implications of this capability are significant. Traditionally, the Reaper has employed AGM-114 Hellfires, GBU-12 Paveways, or GBU-38 JDAMs—direct-attack munitions requiring line-of-sight targeting and relatively close engagement distances. These weapons are effective but expose the platform to enemy air defenses if used near contested territory. By contrast, the Switchblade 600 offers precision effects with a much smaller footprint, giving the MQ-9A a way to attack mobile or time-sensitive targets without entering dangerous airspace. This supports emerging U.S. military doctrines that prioritize distributed lethality, modular effects delivery, and operational agility.

The U.S. military has increasingly emphasized open-architecture platforms capable of rapid upgrade and third-party payload integration. This test demonstrates that concept in action. The MQ-9A was originally never designed to launch loitering munitions, but through software upgrades, hardware modularity, and careful engineering coordination, it was transformed into a launch platform for a new class of weapons. This kind of flexibility reduces costs, accelerates fielding timelines, and ensures older platforms remain relevant well beyond their original design lifespans.

Moreover, the successful mid-air launch and operation of a loitering munition aligns with joint and cross-domain operational goals under the U.S. Department of Defense’s JADC2 framework. JADC2 envisions seamless coordination across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains, using interconnected sensors and effectors to rapidly identify, decide, and strike. By combining long-endurance surveillance from high altitude with loitering precision strike assets, the MQ-9A equipped with Switchblade 600s becomes a flexible node in a larger kill web. This not only enables faster reaction to threats but allows for more precise use of force with reduced risk to both operators and civilians.

From a tactical perspective, this configuration supports new operational concepts such as the “loyal wingman” or autonomous swarm support. A single Reaper could potentially deploy multiple loitering munitions to saturate an area, conduct area denial operations, or support special operations forces by providing overhead surveillance and immediate firepower. Because the Switchblade 600 is compact and relatively low-cost, it can be deployed more freely than cruise missiles or larger air-to-ground weapons, making it a highly adaptable tool in rapidly changing tactical environments.

This capability also provides key advantages in electronic warfare-heavy theaters where traditional guided munitions may lose signal or become degraded. The autonomous flight capability of the Switchblade and its ability to receive updated commands via encrypted data link ensures operational resilience even under conditions of partial communications denial. Additionally, its low signature (both radar and acoustic) makes it difficult for adversaries to detect and intercept.

In terms of force structure, air-launched loitering munitions offer a scalable, distributed alternative to massed formations of manned strike aircraft or conventional artillery. They enable small units, remote outposts, or naval elements to call in precision fire without requiring overflight by manned assets. The integration into MQ-9A platforms extends this capability across global deployment zones, from maritime chokepoints to remote inland areas.

Looking forward, further testing is expected to expand on this success. Upcoming test phases will likely examine the launch of multiple Switchblade 600s in a single sortie, longer-range missions, and coordinated engagement scenarios involving other unmanned systems. There is also growing interest in integrating this capability into operations under U.S. Special Operations Command, where flexibility, speed, and stealth are essential. Field testing may expand to locations like Dugway Proving Ground or even international ranges used for joint exercises.

While the July 2025 test was not conducted in a live conflict, its success sends a clear message about the direction of U.S. defense capabilities. It proves that platforms like the MQ-9A are not static tools but evolving assets that can take on new missions as technology and threats change. It also reinforces the importance of long-range, precise, and remotely operable munitions in future operational environments where peer adversaries may deny access to airspace, GPS, or traditional communication links.

This test demonstrates how the U.S. military continues to lead in unmanned warfare, integrating precision, adaptability, and survivability into a single operational package. The pairing of the MQ-9A Reaper with Switchblade 600s reflects a shift toward faster, leaner, and more intelligent use of force—one that maximizes combat effectiveness while minimizing risk to U.S. personnel and assets. It represents not only an upgrade in tactical options but a foundational capability for the next generation of distributed, joint-force operations.