An American MQ-9 Reaper drone recently fired a Switchblade loitering munition at a testing target, marking the first time a US drone had deployed another drone for combat.

Drone technology is advancing rapidly. Only recently, an American MQ-9 Reaper—one of the US military’s most prominent unmanned aerial systems—successfully used a suicide drone against a mock target, marking an unusual instance of a drone firing another drone.

The MQ-9 Reaper Is Now a “Mothership” Drone

Over the summer, a remotely-piloted MQ-9 Reaper deployed a Switchblade 600 loitering munition against a mock target. This is the first time that an unmanned aerial system has carried and deployed a Switchblade loitering munition. 

During the testing, the MQ-9 Reaper deployed two loitering munitions, one with an inert warhead and the other with a high-explosive round. After the Reaper fired the Switchblade, a user on the ground took control of the loitering munition and guided it to its target.  

“This cooperative effort showcased how combining different unmanned technologies could really provide value and effects to the warfighter,” General Atomics Aeronautical Systems President David R. Alexander said in a company press release. “By using MQ-9A to carry the Switchblade, the MQ-9A is able to stand off farther from enemy weapons systems and increase the range of the SB600, which will provide greater access and options in contested airspace.”

Unmanned aerial systems are becoming increasingly important on the battlefield, offering policymakers and military commanders a multitude of choices on several levels.  

About the Switchblade Suicide Drone  

There has been much discussion in recent months about the capabilities of the Russian military’s suicide drone arsenal. Mostly designed and manufactured in Iran, Russia’s suicide unmanned aerial systems, especially its Shahed drones and the domestically-made Geran variant, have caused much damage to Ukraine’s cities and critical infrastructure. However, the US military also has some quite capable loitering munitions in its arsenal. The Switchblade family of loitering munitions is one of the most capable.  

In addition to the Switchblade 600, the US military also possesses the Switchblade 300, a lighter variant. The main difference between the two is the explosive warhead they carry. The Switchblade 300 is designed to take out infantry and artillery targets, with an explosive warhead the size of a Claymore mine. By contrast, the Switchblade 300 is only two feet long and just over five pounds in weight, making it optimal for infantry operations. The loitering munition is fired from a mortar-like tube and can achieve speeds of 100 miles per hour. However, it only has an operational range of six miles, or around 15 minutes.  

The Switchblade 600 is designed to take out heavier targets, including main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers. It packs a 33-pound explosive charge and weighs 120 pounds. What makes its explosive charge particularly deadly is the fact that it is designed to attack targets from the top, much like an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank rocket. The Switchblade 600 has an operational range of 24 miles or 40 minutes. It is slower than its sister drone, cruising at 70 miles per hour.  

The two loitering munitions carry onboard sensors with internal GPS for precision strikes, but also have the ability to rapidly change course if the operational conditions change before the loitering munitions strike.  

US special operators have been using Switchblade loitering munitions since the early 2010s, and the Ukrainian military has used them extensively since 2022.