Now Reading: US lost 45 Reaper drones, a quarter of its fleet, in Iran war
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US lost 45 Reaper drones, a quarter of its fleet, in Iran war
The US has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, roughly a quarter of its fleet, during the over five-month conflict with Iran, The Washington Post reports. Each Reaper, used for surveillance…
The Story in Brief
The US has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, roughly a quarter of its fleet, during the over five-month conflict with Iran, The Washington Post reports. Each Reaper, used for surveillance and strikes, costs between $30 million and $50 million, putting the total loss above $1.3 billion. Not all were shot down, some crashed after losing communication links, according to unnamed officials.
Before the war, the Air Force operated 165 Reapers and the Marine Corps 20. By May, Air Force Lieutenant General David Tabor told the Senate the remaining Air Force fleet had fallen to about 135. Separately, President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of up to 100% on imported drones and components, citing national security concerns. India had signed a deal in 2024 to buy 31 Reapers, with deliveries expected to begin in 2029.
The Indian Opinion
American news outlets play up Iranian air defences as fearsome, and the Pentagon's own officials drive the story of a depleted arsenal to justify a $67 billion war-funding request. A more grounded Indian view would note that losing expensive drones to cheap missiles is a choice, not a surprise. The real test will be whether the US operational tempo changes in the Strait or if Congress simply writes another cheque.
Sources (3): indiatoday.in, indiatvnews.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
