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Unmanned Systems

General Atomics, AeroVironment Demonstrate Loitering Munition Launch From MQ-9 Drone

By Cal Biesecker

Thursday, September 11th, 2025

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General Atomics, AeroVironment Demonstrate Loitering Munition Launch From MQ-9 Drone

An AeroVironment Switchblade 600 loitering munition after launch from a General Atomics MQ-9 drone. Photo: AeroVironment

General Atomics and AeroVironment [AVAV] on Wednesday said they recently partnered to launch a Switchblade 600 loitering munition from an MQ-9A long endurance drone, the first ever launch of the Switchblade 600 from an unmanned aircraft. In the flight-testing that occurred in July, the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper was equipped with two Switchblade launch tubes, one that first fired a loitering munition with an inert warhead and then the second with a high-explosive round. After firing, control of the Switchblade…

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