The Washington Post: The US lost a quarter of its Reaper drone fleet in the war with Iran
The Washington Post, citing three American officials, reported that the US military lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, equivalent to about 25% of its drone fleet, during the war with Iran.
According to the US Air Force, Reaper drones are used for reconnaissance missions and targeted attacks, and each drone, depending on its equipment and armament, is valued between 30 to 50 million dollars. Based on this, the value of the lost drones is estimated at least 1.3 billion dollars.
These drones have been extensively used around the Strait of Hormuz, but according to The Washington Post, their low speed and relatively low altitude flight have increased their vulnerability to Iranian defenses and forces allied with Tehran in the region.
Another American official stated that not all of the lost drones were shot down, and an unspecified number of them crashed after losing connection with their operators.
The Washington Post also addressed the severe pressure of the war on America’s defensive reserves and reported that the Pentagon has requested nearly 2,600 THAAD interceptor systems for the next five years, while with the current production capacity, supplying this amount would take about 27 years.