US military loses roughly 25% of Reaper drone fleet in Iran war: Report

The US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, or roughly 25% of its fleet, during its war with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing three officials.

The losses involve an aircraft used for surveillance and targeted strikes that can cost between $30 million and $50 million depending on its equipment, according to the report.

The newspaper said the potential cost of the lost Reapers exceeds $1.3 billion.

The drones have been heavily used around the Strait of Hormuz but are “relatively easy targets” for Iran and its proxies because they fly slowly and often at low altitudes, it said.

Not all of the aircraft were shot down, with one official saying an unspecified number crashed after operators lost communications links to the drones.

The Air Force fleet had about 165 Reapers, and the Marine Corps possessed 20 before the war began, public budget data and the services showed.

Air Force Lt. Gen. David Tabor told the Senate in May that the number had fallen to about 135.