$1.3 Billion in Damage: Iran's Hunt for the American Reaper

The US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the confrontation with Iran, about a quarter of its fleet. The damage is estimated at over $1.3 billion. In addition, missile stocks are being depleted, and production is struggling to keep pace. The Pentagon warns of a hit to operational capabilities.

Since the start of the direct confrontation with Iran, the US military has lost at least 45 advanced MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to a report in the Washington Post. This represents about 25 percent of the total fleet of such drones that the Pentagon had before the outbreak of hostilities. Each aircraft costs between $30 and $50 million, so the damage to the American taxpayer stands at over $1.3 billion. The drones have been used intensively around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane that has become a focal point of escalation. However, they fly at low speed and low altitude, making them relatively easy targets for the Iranian military and its proxies in Yemen and Iraq. A US security official emphasized that not all aircraft were shot down by enemy fire; some crashed due to communication failures. The loss of drones adds to severe attrition in weapons stockpiles, which have been depleted by the war with Iran and support for Ukraine. In the first month, forces launched over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 interceptor missiles of the Patriot and THAAD systems. The shortage limits President Trump's military options. The Trump administration is working to rally congressional support for a $67 billion emergency budget. The American Enterprise Institute published a report stating that the maximum production rate of THAAD missiles is 96 per year, while the Pentagon needs about 2,600 missiles over the next five years.