US Army Armored Brigade Fires Switchblade 600 Loitering Munition in First Live Exercise

The U.S. Army has taken a significant step toward integrating loitering munitions into frontline armored formations. In a recent live-fire exercise at Fort Bliss, Texas, an Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) successfully launched and struck targets with the Switchblade 600—a heavy-weight loitering munition designed for anti-armor and precision strike roles. This marks the first known operational use of the system by a brigade-level maneuver unit and signals growing doctrinal acceptance of expendable drones as organic fire support assets.

Switchblade 600: Bridging the Gap Between Drones and Missiles

Developed by AeroVironment under U.S. Army contracts since 2020, the Switchblade 600 is part of a new class of tactical loitering munitions that combine elements of UAV reconnaissance and guided missile lethality. Unlike its smaller cousin—the backpack-portable Switchblade 300 optimized for anti-personnel missions—the 600 variant is designed to neutralize armored vehicles and fortified positions.

Key specifications include:

Warhead: Anti-armor warhead comparable to Javelin-class ATGMs
Range: Up to 40 km (25 miles)
Endurance: ~40 minutes loiter time
Navigation: GPS + electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) seeker
Control: Man-in-the-loop with abort/re-target capability

The system is tube-launched from a ground platform and can be operated by two soldiers with minimal setup time. Its EO/IR seeker allows real-time target identification and tracking even in contested electromagnetic environments.

A Milestone for Armored Brigades

The recent test at Fort Bliss was conducted by elements of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), part of the U.S. Army’s III Corps. According to official statements from Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier and AeroVironment representatives, this was the first time an ABCT—not special operations or test units—employed the Switchblade 600 in a live-fire scenario using organic operators.

This milestone reflects two key developments:

The maturation of training pipelines for conventional units to operate complex loitering munitions
A shift in force structure toward embedding precision strike capabilities at lower echelons

“This is about giving maneuver commanders more tools,” one senior officer involved in the exercise told Defense News. “We’re not just talking about calling for fires anymore—we’re delivering them directly from within our formations.”

Tactical Role: Filling Gaps Between Artillery and ATGMs

The Switchblade 600 occupies a niche between traditional indirect fires (like mortars or howitzers) and direct-fire anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). While Javelin missiles remain highly effective against tanks within line-of-sight engagements up to ~2.5 km, they are expensive (~$200K per shot) and limited by terrain masking.

Conversely, artillery requires fire mission coordination and may lack precision against moving or concealed targets without advanced targeting data. The Switchblade fills this gap with its ability to reconnoiter over-the-horizon positions autonomously before striking high-value targets like command vehicles or self-propelled guns.

This makes it particularly valuable in dispersed battlefield environments where small units operate semi-independently—a key feature of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) doctrine.

AeroVironment’s Production Ramp-Up Amid Global Demand

AeroVironment has been increasing production capacity for both variants of its Switchblade family due to rising demand from Ukraine operations as well as expanded U.S. procurement plans under programs like LASSO (Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance). In FY2024 alone, Congress allocated over $100 million toward loitering munition acquisition across multiple services.

The company opened a new production facility in Simi Valley, California earlier this year aimed specifically at scaling up output for Switchblade systems. According to CEO Wahid Nawabi during Q1 FY2024 earnings calls, AeroVironment expects “double-digit growth” driven largely by international orders—particularly from NATO allies seeking low-cost counter-armor solutions.

Integration Challenges Remain but Momentum Builds

Despite promising performance metrics and successful trials like Fort Bliss’ ABCT event, several hurdles remain before widespread fielding can occur across all combat brigades:

Sustainment logistics: Ensuring battery charging, spare parts supply lines under field conditions
Crew training: Building proficiency among infantry squads unfamiliar with UAV control interfaces
E-M spectrum vulnerability: Mitigating risks from jamming or GPS spoofing during real-world operations

The Army’s Rapid Capabilities Office is reportedly working on hardened communications links and AI-assisted targeting modules that could reduce operator workload while improving resilience against EW threats—a lesson drawn heavily from Ukraine’s battlefield experience with FPV drones and Russian electronic warfare systems.

Toward Organic Precision Fires at Scale?

The successful deployment of Switchblade 600 within an armored brigade context suggests that loitering munitions are no longer niche tools reserved for special forces or ISR units—they are becoming integral components of combined arms doctrine.

If scaled effectively across ABCTs—and eventually Stryker or Infantry BCTs—the U.S. Army could achieve a form of distributed precision strike previously limited to air-delivered munitions or long-range fires assets like HIMARS. The ability for platoon-level leaders to launch their own guided weapons could fundamentally alter tactical calculus on future battlefields.