San Andreas Mercenaries in GTA Online: Project Overthrow and LSA Operations Explained

GTA Online's Los Santos Angels mercenary squadron went to war with Merryweather Security on 13 June 2023, and the fight is still one of the best free money loops in the game. San Andreas Mercenaries added two linked pieces of content: Project Overthrow, a six-mission story campaign, and LSA Operations, three repeatable Free Mode jobs you can grind for cash whenever you want.

The essentials

• Update: San Andreas Mercenaries, released 13 June 2023 (title update 1.67)
• Requirement: own an Avenger from Warstock Cache & Carry, with an Operations Terminal installed
• Story content: Project Overthrow, six missions, 1-4 players
• Repeatable content: three LSA Operations, playable solo or in a crew, in any session type
• Payouts: GTA$45,000-70,000 per LSA Operation, plus a GTA$15,000 optional-objective bonus
• Unlocks: three free outfits, a storable Mammoth Thruster jetpack, a new Tactical SMG from the Gun Van

Who is Charlie Reed, and what is Project Overthrow?

Charlie Reed is an ex-military operator and aircraft mechanic who already knows his way around your Hangar. He spends San Andreas Mercenaries running an off-the-books plan called Project Overthrow: a coordinated campaign to knock Merryweather Security out of San Andreas for good, using the Los Santos Angels air squadron as muscle.

Project Overthrow is told across six missions:

1. Reporting for Duty - your introduction to Charlie's plan and the Los Santos Angels
2. Falling In - the first strike against a Merryweather outpost
3. On Parade - disrupting a Merryweather show of force
4. Breaking Ranks - turning Merryweather's own people against the company
5. Unconventional Warfare - an escalation into sabotage and open combat
6. Shock & Awe - the finale, and the biggest hit on Merryweather's operation

Each mission supports one to four players and can be run in a public lobby or an invite-only session, so you can play it solo if you would rather not deal with griefers mid-mission.

How to start Project Overthrow and LSA Operations

Both pieces of content are gated behind the same piece of hardware: an Avenger, the flying mobile operations center sold by Warstock Cache & Carry. Once you own one, buy and install the Operations Terminal upgrade inside it. That terminal is where Charlie Reed hands out every Project Overthrow mission and every LSA Operation.

You don't have to walk back to the Avenger every time, though. For LSA Operations specifically, any player who is currently a CEO, VIP or MC President can call Charlie Reed directly from the in-game phone to get a randomly assigned Operation, or head to the terminal to pick a specific one instead.

How much does it cost to unlock?

The Avenger itself starts at GTA$3,450,000 from Warstock Cache & Carry, and the Operations Terminal upgrade is an extra GTA$1,450,000 (or GTA$4,900,000 for the two bundled together). It's a steep entry price if you don't already own an Avenger for its usual Gunrunning uses, but the terminal pays for itself quickly once LSA Operations become a repeatable income source, and the Avenger itself remains one of the best mobile bases in the game for storing vehicles and starting other Freemode work on the fly.

A quick walkthrough of the six Project Overthrow missions

You don't need a guide for every beat, but knowing what each mission asks of you helps you pick the right vehicle and loadout before you leave the Avenger:

• Reporting for Duty is a light introduction: meet the Los Santos Angels, get briefed by Charlie, and handle a small first strike so the game can teach you the terminal's flow.
• Falling In puts you on the ground against a Merryweather position, and rewards a stealthier approach if you want to avoid alerting reinforcements early.
• On Parade revolves around intercepting and disrupting a Merryweather convoy or show of force, so a fast vehicle or a helicopter matters more than firepower.
• Breaking Ranks leans into sabotage, turning pieces of Merryweather's own operation against the company rather than a straight firefight.
• Unconventional Warfare is the escalation mission: expect heavier resistance and to lean on the air support the Los Santos Angels squadron provides.
• Shock & Awe closes the campaign with the biggest single hit on Merryweather, and pays out the best of the six.

Playing the campaign in an invite-only session removes the risk of other players interfering mid-mission, which matters more here than in most Freemode content since several missions take place in open areas around San Andreas.

LSA Operations: the repeatable money loop

Where Project Overthrow is a one-time story, LSA Operations are the part you can grind. Three jobs rotate through the terminal:

Operation	Focus
Direct Action	Assault-style takedown of a Merryweather target
Surgical Strike	Precision hit requiring stealth or accuracy
Whistleblower	Extraction or information-gathering job

Payouts scale with difficulty tier: Professional-rated runs pay GTA$45,000-55,000, and Specialist-rated runs pay GTA$60,000-70,000, both before the GTA$15,000 bonus for completing the optional objective. That puts a full LSA Operation with its bonus in the same range as a decent VIP contract, and unlike a heist, there is no setup cost or long finale to plan around - just call Charlie and go.

First-time completions of the three Operations also unlock three free outfits, which is a nice bonus on top of the cash if you're still filling out your wardrobe.

Extra rewards worth grabbing

San Andreas Mercenaries also quietly upgraded the Avenger itself: it can now store and launch a Mammoth Thruster jetpack as a support vehicle, which you can request in Free Mode the same way you'd call in a Buzzard. Combined with the update's new Tactical SMG, sold from the Gun Van and built to be fired accurately while driving, it rounds out the mercenary loadout Charlie's operation runs on.

Is it worth doing in 2026?

For a returning or new player, yes. LSA Operations remain one of the lowest-friction ways to make money fast in GTA Online - no setup investment beyond the Avenger and terminal, no long heist crew coordination, and a payout that beats most Free Mode side jobs. If you already run an Executive Office or an Agency for VIP work, LSA Operations slot neatly into the same CEO/VIP status you're already using. And if you own a Hangar for Air Freight Cargo, you've likely got the Avenger's support infrastructure half-built already.

Project Overthrow itself is worth playing at least once for the story beats and the payouts on offer, even if you're mainly chasing bigger scores like the Cayo Perico Heist afterward. Once you've cleared the six missions, LSA Operations become a standing income source you can drop into between bigger jobs whenever you're logged in solo and want a quick, reliable payout.

Frequently asked questions

Can you play San Andreas Mercenaries solo? Yes. Project Overthrow supports one to four players, and LSA Operations can be started and completed alone, so neither piece of content requires a full crew.

Do LSA Operations reset on a timer? No fixed cooldown is required between runs - once you finish one Operation, you can call Charlie again straightaway for another, which is what makes the loop useful as a repeatable money method rather than a once-a-day job.

Is Project Overthrow a limited-time event? No. Unlike a themed weekend bonus, Project Overthrow and LSA Operations became permanent additions to GTA Online when San Andreas Mercenaries launched, so you can start them any time as long as you own the Avenger and the Operations Terminal.

What rank do you need for San Andreas Mercenaries? There's no strict rank gate beyond being able to afford and store an Avenger, though most players tackle it well after finishing their first few heists and building up a business or two for steady income first.