U.S. Has Lost 25% of Its Pricey Reaper Drone Fleet in Iran War: Report

Alex Brandon/AP Photo

The U.S. has seen a stunning loss of its fleet of expensive MQ-9 Reaper drones, with 45 of the devices lost during the Iran war so far, sources told The Washington Post.

The drones can cost between $30 million and $50 million each depending on how they are outfitted, the Air Force has said — and the losses account for roughly 25% of America’s fleet.

Taxpayers could be on the hook for more than $1.3 billion in losses, according to the outlet’s Thursday report.

The low, slow-flying drones are easy targets for Iran but not all have been lost to enemy fire, The Post reported.

Some of the drones simply crashed after the communications link between device and operator failed, one anonymous source told the news outlet.

When the Iran war began on Feb. 28, there were about 185 Reaper drones in the United States’ fleet, including 165 in the Air Force and 20 in the Marine Corps, according to the report. None of the Marines’ Reapers, which typically operated in the Asia-Pacific, have been lost, a spokesman told The Post.

Word of the drone losses comes after reports that the United States has also drained its stockpile of precision, surface-to-surface missiles.

“Virtually all” of the expensive weapons, which can cost more than $1 million each, were depleted in the nearly six-month conflict in Iran, sources told Reuters earlier this month.

It’s unknown precisely how many Army Tactical Missile Systems and Precision Strike Missiles the American military has left, according to the sources.

The munitions, known respectively as ATACMS and PrSM, are a key part of the United States’ military might — giving the ability to conduct accurate strikes from a safe distance, Reuters reported, citing three sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The weapons are thought to be a key part of the military’s readiness. ATACMS and PrSMs supplied by the U.S. have already played a crucial role in Ukraine’s war against Russia, enabling Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia’s borders.

The Pentagon declined comment on the reaper drone report, according to The Washington Post.

This is a breaking story and has been updated.

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