Iran has destroyed more than two dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones operated by US forces since the war began, a significant loss worth nearly $1 billion that represents 20% of the Pentagon’s prewar inventory for the hard-to-replace unmanned system.
Many of the strike drones were downed mid-flight by Iranian fire but some were destroyed on the ground in missile strikes, or in accidents, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
Reapers, which are no longer manufactured for US forces, cost about $30 million each and carry high-powered sensors, including cameras. They can also carry weapons such as Hellfire missiles or Joint-Direct Attack Munition guided bombs.
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So far, US forces have lost at least 24 Reapers, and possibly as many as 30, with the total including drones that were damaged and written off later, according to the person, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.
That’s higher than previous estimates. A Congressional Research Service report earlier this month said that 24 Reapers had been lost.
The aircraft have been heavily used in the conflict with Iran as commanders try to keep air crews out of harm’s way. Although the US has inflicted significant damage on Iran’s military assets, including degrading or destroying much of its air defense capability, parts of Iranian airspace remain dangerous.
“Prosecuting war from a distance still comes with a cost,” said Bloomberg Economics defense lead Becca Wasser. “MQ-9s may be attritable as they are uncrewed, but they are too expensive and too few with no active production line to be considered expendable.”
The US and Israel first launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, and the two sides have been locked in an uneasy ceasefire since April 8, with occasional strikes from both sides.
The propeller-driven Reapers, manufactured by General Atomics, are no longer produced for the US. Only about 10 of the follow-up, jet-powered Avenger strike drones were built. Variants of the Reaper are still produced for foreign customers.
The $1 billion Reaper losses add to the mounting costs for the US and Israeli war on Iran, which has burned through thousands of high-end munitions, including Tomahawk and JASSM-ER cruise missiles.
The US has also lost two crewed aircraft over Iran so far: an F-15E Strike Eagle and an A-10 Thunderbolt II. All of the crew were rescued. Other aircraft losses include an E-3 airborne warning and control plane, KC-135 aerial tankers, three other F-15s and two MC-130J multi-purpose cargo planes. Replacing those would cost billions of dollars.
The US has also lost or suffered damage to radar systems that cost hundreds of millions of dollars each.
