The Spike was made to provide infantry with a shoulder-fired guided fire-and-forget missile system lighter and cheaper than the Javelin and produce light and more numerous weapons for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to carry.

[1][2][3][4][5] In addition to giving ground troops a light weight missile, the Spike could easily be adapted to fit onto vehicles, aircraft, and small boats.

Medium UAVs have difficulty carrying missiles such as the 100 lb (45 kg) Hellfire due to weight and thrust issues, so the Spike could be bolted on with less effects.

[9] On 12 February 2008, the missile went through a test firing from a mountaintop, simulating a UAV launch, and hit a vehicle target moving 20 mph (32 km/h) from 1.5 mi (2.4 km) away.

The Spike conducted an interception of an airborne target in June 2013 using this method, demonstrating its potential as a kill mechanism to accomplish the counter-UAV mission.