US lost 45 Reaper drones, 25% of fleet, in Iran war

The Story in Brief

The US military lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper surveillance and strike drones during the war with Iran, The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed officials. That represents roughly a quarter of the US Reaper fleet, with equipment costs exceeding $1.3 billion. A US official told the Post that not all were shot down; some crashed after operators lost communication links. The fleet had about 185 Reapers before the conflict. In May, Air Force Lt Gen David Tabor told the Senate the remaining count had fallen to about 135, saying he was concerned and that the service was exploring quick replenishment.

India had signed an agreement in 2024 to buy 31 MQ-9 Reapers, with deliveries expected from 2029, The Hindu reports. The Reaper losses add to pressure on US inventories after months of fighting in West Asia and support for Ukraine. The Pentagon is already planning to replace the Reaper with a cheaper generation of drones. A conservative think-tank report found that replenishing some missile stocks, like THAAD interceptors, could take decades at current production rates.