The United States lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, which is approximately 25% of the fleet of these drones.

This is reported by The Washington Post, citing sources,  Censor.NET reports .

The value of drones

As noted, Reaper drones are used for reconnaissance and targeted strikes.

According to the US Air Force, depending on the type of sensors and weapons installed, the cost of one such drone can range from $30 to $50 million. This means that the United States lost an estimated $1.3 billion in the war with Iran.

At the same time, one US official noted that not all of the lost Reapers were shot down. An unknown number of drones crashed after their operators lost contact with them.

More about MQ-9 Reaper drones

• According to open budget data and information from the military, before the conflict began, the US military had approximately 185 MQ-9 Reapers — 165 in the Air Force and 20 in the Marine Corps. This figure does not include drones of this type operated by US intelligence agencies.

Reapers have been used extensively in the Strait of Hormuz area. As WP notes, these drones fly slowly and often at low altitudes, making them relatively easy targets for the Iranian military, as well as Iran-aligned forces and proxy groups in Yemen and Iraq. Джерело: https://censor.net/ua/n4018322

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