Iran destroyed nearly 20% of US MQ-9 Reaper drone fleet: report

According to a report by Bloomberg, citing an anonymous source as relayed by Russia Today, the US military has lost up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the conflict with Iran. This accounts for nearly a fifth of Washington’s entire pre-war fleet and is valued at close to $1 billion. The bulk of these drones were destroyed or seriously damaged by Iranian fire, the outlet reported.

The MQ-9 Reaper is capable of conducting both reconnaissance and strike missions. A single drone is estimated to cost more than $30 million. General Atomics halted production of the model last year, although variants are still being manufactured for foreign customers. The US fleet of Reapers has now fallen to roughly 135 aircraft, considerably below the Air Force’s long-standing minimum floor of 189, according to Lt. Gen. David Tabor, the Pentagon deputy chief of staff for plans and programs.

Earlier this month, the Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan research arm of the Library of Congress, issued a report titled 'U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury.' The document, citing an unspecified news article, similarly estimates that the US military had lost 24 MQ-9 Reapers, plus one MQ-4C. The tally includes a total of 42 US aircraft, including four F-15E fighter jets, an F-35A fighter jet, an A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, seven KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes, as well as a helicopter.

Appearing before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee last Tuesday, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst said that the cost of the military operation against Iran had swollen from the previously projected $25 billion to $29 billion due to 'updated repair and replacement of equipment costs,' among other factors. According to Mehr News, the report highlights significant losses and financial implications for the US military.