The United States military lost approximately 25% of its MQ-9 Reaper drones due to depletion during the war with Iran. Each drone costs approximately $50 million, APA reports citing The Washington Post (WP).
As noted in the article, the US military lost a total of 45 MQ-9 Reapers, which "became easy targets for Iran" in the Strait of Hormuz. This version of the drone, which flies low and relatively slowly, is used for reconnaissance and precision strikes. Their cost can range from $30 million to $50 million, depending on the type of sensors and weapons installed. The publication estimates that the potential cost to US taxpayers due to drone losses exceeds $1.3 billion. According to WP, not all lost drones were shot down; some crashed after their operators lost contact with the drones.
The US Defense Department is phasing out General Atomics' MQ-9 Reapers and plans to replace them with a fleet of cheaper attack reconnaissance drones that can attack targets in swarms.
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