US loses at least 45 reaper drones, 25% of fleet, in Iran war

The Reaper’s relatively slow speed and tendency to operate at lower altitudes made the aircraft “relatively easy targets” during missions in the region.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The U.S. military lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, eliminating roughly 25% of its active fleet and causing equipment losses estimated at more than $1.3 billion.

The drones were used extensively for surveillance and strike operations around the Strait of Hormuz, placing increased demands on the U.S. inventory during the conflict.

The Air Force had approximately 165 Reapers before the war, while the Marine Corps operated another 20, according to public budget data and information from the military services.

The loss of at least 45 aircraft represents a significant reduction from the combined prewar inventory of about 185.

Each MQ-9 Reaper is valued at between $30 million and $50 million, depending on the equipment carried by the aircraft.

The potential combined value of the drones lost during the conflict exceeds $1.3 billion.

Iranian air defenses and regional proxies were responsible for some of the losses.

The Reaper’s relatively slow speed and tendency to operate at lower altitudes made the aircraft “relatively easy targets” during missions in the region.

Not all of the drones were destroyed by hostile fire. An official said an unspecified number crashed after their operators lost communications links with the aircraft.

The losses occurred as Reapers were being heavily deployed around the Strait of Hormuz for surveillance and strike missions.

The intensity of operations placed additional pressure on the existing U.S. drone inventory.

The depletion of the Reaper fleet comes as the U.S. military faces broader pressure on weapons and equipment stockpiles from active combat in the region and previous international commitments.

The MQ-9 is used by the U.S. military for both intelligence and surveillance missions and targeted strikes. The scale of the losses during the Iran conflict has substantially reduced the number of aircraft available from the Air Force and Marine Corps fleets that existed before the war.