US Loses 24 MQ-9 Reapers in War With Iran

The United States has lost 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones during combat operations with Iran, including 8 shot down in early April alone.

CBS News reported this, citing an anonymous source.

Estimated financial losses total around $700 million. No additional details were provided. As of March 9, 11 drones had been confirmed downed.

The MQ-9 Reaper is one of the key tools for reconnaissance, precision strike targeting, and battle damage assessment in this campaign.

These drones are used to engage a wide range of targets – from Iranian airfields and ballistic missile launchers to ships and air defense systems.

Given the intensity of their use, the loss of such aircraft is not unusual.

MQ-9 Reaper

The MQ-9 Reaper is a reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. It is in service or used by Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, India, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, the United States, France, and Japan.

The UAV is based on the MQ-1 Predator, and its first flight took place on February 2, 2001. Its service ceiling is approximately 13,000 meters, and its maximum endurance reaches up to 24 hours.

The MQ-9 Reaper is equipped with six external hardpoints for weapons:

• 2 inner stations – each capable of carrying up to 680 kg of payload;
• 2 mid-wing stations – up to 270 kg each;
• 2 outer (wingtip) stations – up to 90 kg each.

This configuration allows the platform to carry a wide range of armaments, including AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground anti-tank missiles, Mark 82 guided bombs, as well as other types of precision-guided munitions.

The combination of long endurance, substantial payload capacity, and advanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) systems makes the MQ-9 Reaper one of the key platforms for reconnaissance, persistent surveillance, and precision strike missions.