In the current U.S.-Iran conflict, Iran reportedly has shot down dozens of American MQ-9 Reaper drones, inflicting a significant financial and operational blow on the Pentagon.
From the 24-30 MQ-9 Reaper drones lost since the war began in February, reports said that 22 had been lost in the past three months. The losses reportedly include those drones that were shot down in combat missions, those aircraft that were damaged beyond repair and those drones that were destroyed from missile strikes or in operational accidents. The dollars lost in the destroyed drones is estimated to be near $1 billion.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a UAV developed by General Atomics that is one of the most advanced unmanned systems currently in use with the United States Armed Forces. The drones are meant to be used for intelligence, surveillance and precision strike. They are fitted with advanced sensors, high resolution cameras and weapons, such as Hellfire missiles and guided bombs.
The losses account for almost 20 percent of the Pentagon’s prewar stockpile of MQ-9s, one of the biggest drone defeats for the U.S. in recent years, military analysts say. Many of the drones are thought to have been downed by Iranian air defence forces in the course of reconnaissance flights and strikes in the country’s airspace that is claimed by Israel.
The growing drone losses highlight the increasing sophistication of Iran’s military capabilities and the intensifying nature of the conflict. Reaper drones have been key to the US military’s operations in the field, providing real-time intelligence and targeted strikes during the conflict.
Defence experts say that if the drones continue to be lost, it could impact on America’s surveillance and strike capabilities in the region, but officials have yet to publicly confirm the exact number lost.