US loses 45 Reaper drones in Iran war

The U.S. military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, roughly 25% of its fleet, according to three U.S. officials familiar with Pentagon data.

The Air Force puts the cost of each aircraft between $30 million and $50 million depending on sensors and weapons, placing total losses potentially above $1.3 billion. The Reaper is used for surveillance and targeted strikes.

Not all were shot down. Another official said an unspecified number crashed after operators lost communication links with them.

The scale of attrition adds to mounting costs from the conflict. In June, the Trump administration asked Congress for roughly $80 billion to cover operational and replacement expenses tied to the war.