US Loses 25 Percent of MQ-9 Reaper Drone Fleet in Iran War
The United States military has reportedly lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the armed conflict with Iran. The figure represents approximately 25 percent of the total Reaper fleet owned by the US, according to three US officials familiar with the matter.
The Reaper drone, used for surveillance and precision strikes, costs between US$30 million and US$50 million (around Rp471 billion to Rp785 billion) per unit, depending on the type of sensors and weapons carried. With the loss of 45 units, the potential loss to US taxpayers exceeds US$1.3 billion, or around Rp20.4 trillion, for the weapons systems alone.
These unmanned aircraft were used intensively around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane that has become a key flashpoint in the conflict as well as a major obstacle in peace negotiations. However, the Reaper’s characteristics of flying slowly and often at low altitude made it a relatively easy target for the Iranian military and its regional proxies in Yemen and Iraq.
Another US official stated that not all of the lost Reapers were shot down. A number of units reportedly crashed after the communication link between the operator and the drone malfunctioned.
The loss of Reapers adds to a long list of US weapons and ammunition depleted by the Iran war and years of military support for Ukraine. This scarcity is reported to be limiting President Donald Trump’s military options amid persistently high tensions with Tehran.
Although the Pentagon has consistently denied reports that its weapons stockpiles are running low, the Trump administration has requested tens of billions of dollars in additional funding from Congress to restore supplies. On 31 July, Trump reportedly confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth about the condition of US weapons stockpiles during a cabinet meeting at Camp David.
This situation appears to have emboldened Iran. Tehran is reported to have increased its demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz and is seeking reparations for damage suffered by the country since Trump ordered hostilities to begin on 28 February.
Before the conflict began, the US military had around 185 Reapers, consisting of 165 units in the Air Force and 20 units in the Marine Corps. To date, no losses have been reported from the Marine fleet, which operates mostly in the Asia-Pacific region.
In May, Lieutenant General David Tabor of the US Air Force told the Senate that the number of remaining drones had fallen to around 135 units. The Pentagon now plans to discontinue the use of the General Atomics-produced Reaper and shift to a fleet of cheaper armed reconnaissance drones capable of attacking in swarm formations.
The Trump administration is currently seeking additional budget support of US$67 billion (around Rp1,052 trillion) to replenish weapons stockpiles. However, a report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) indicates that the stockpile recovery process will take years.
Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at AEI, stressed that even if orders were placed today, deliveries would not occur until after President Trump’s term ends. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has met with defence companies to boost production, but no contracts or definite funding have yet been secured to realise the plan.