In a major step toward modernizing armored formations, soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted Fort Hood’s inaugural live-fire exercise of the Switchblade 600 Loitering Munition System on September 15. The event was part of Pegasus Charge, the division’s contribution to the US Army’s “Transforming in Contact” initiative. The Switchblade 600, a tube-launched unmanned aircraft system, has already proven its value with Special Operations Forces, light infantry units, and allied partners. The 1st Cavalry Division is among the first armored units to adopt the system. “This is the first time for all of our soldiers to see these munitions fired, and you can feel the excitement in the air,” said Capt. Jeffrey Weller, commander of the Multifunctional Reconnaissance Troop. “The Switchblade enables the brigade to engage targets with precision between 5 and 15 kilometers in front of our forward line of troops, extending our reach and lethality.”