US Lost 45 MQ-9 Reaper Drones During Conflict with Iran, Report Says

The United States has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper surveillance and strike drones during the conflict with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing unnamed officials.

According to the newspaper, the number of lost drones accounts for approximately 25 percent of the US military fleet, with potential losses to taxpayers exceeding $1.3 billion.

A US official cited by the newspaper said that not all Reapers were shot down. Some crashed due to failures in communication links.

The Reaper is used as an intelligence-gathering asset and has a secondary role of striking dynamically emerging targets.

Because of its long endurance, remote sensors, multimode communication systems, and precision weapons, the aircraft has a unique capability to conduct strikes as well as reconnaissance against high-value targets.

The Reaper drone began operating with the US in 2007 and has become a vital asset for American counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East and other conflict zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq.