US Army lost quarter of its drone fleet in Iran war, report says

The US Army lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles during its war with Iran, according to a report. The figure represents roughly 25 percent of the fleet. Total losses exceeded $1.3 billion, with the drones added to a list of weapons and munitions consumed during the war that also includes Tomahawk, Patriot and THAAD missiles. The MQ-9 Reaper is used for reconnaissance and precision strike operations, with a unit cost ranging from $30 million to $50 million depending on its sensor and weapons loadout. The drones were deployed heavily around the Strait of Hormuz, which has become one of the main flashpoints of the conflict. Their pattern of operations made them easy targets for the Iranian military and its regional allies, the report said.