Key facts
- The US has lost approximately 25% of its MQ-9 Reaper drones in the war on Iran.
- The value of the lost drones exceeds $1.3bn.
- Iran's air defense systems have proven effective against US drones.
- The US has also depleted its stock of long-range precision missiles.
- The Trump administration is seeking over $67bn in supplementary funding to replenish weapons.
The United States has lost approximately 25 percent of its MQ-9 Reaper drones in the ongoing war on Iran, a loss valued at over $1.3 billion, according to a report by The Washington Post. This figure represents a significant depletion of the pre-war fleet and challenges claims by President Donald Trump and his administration that Iran's air defenses have been obliterated.
The report highlights that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its allies have maintained operational air defense capabilities, making the slow-flying MQ-9 Reaper drones vulnerable, particularly near the Strait of Hormuz. The Washington Post's findings indicate a higher drone loss than a previous Bloomberg report in May, which estimated the figure at 20 percent.
The MQ-9 Reaper, valued between $30 million and $50 million depending on its configuration, is used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strikes, capable of carrying missiles and guided bombs. The US has also depleted its stockpiles of sophisticated standoff munitions, firing over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and 1,000 Patriot and THAAD missiles.
Despite reports of shortages, the Trump administration has denied them. However, it has requested over $67 billion in supplementary funding from Congress to cover operational costs and replenish weapons supplies. President Trump reportedly confronted Secretary of War Pete Hegseth about the critical munitions shortage, citing it as a reason for pausing large-scale strikes against Iran.