The US Air Force has lost between 24 and 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of its conflict with Iran, destroying more than a quarter of its operational fleet now reduced to roughly 135 aircraft. These losses, sustained over five months during Operation Epic Fury launched on February 28, 2026, represent between $400 million and $900 million in destroyed hardware, according to the Washington Post. Production of these drones ceased in 2025 by manufacturer General Atomics, making every lost aircraft irreplaceable. Against Iranian air defenses, the Reaper, designed for counterinsurgency operations in permissive airspace, proved particularly vulnerable at medium and high altitudes.
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