The US military has lost around 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, CBS News has reported, citing unnamed US officials.
MQ-9 Reapers cost at least $30 million each, meaning the US has lost at least $720 million worth of drones. Officials told CBS that eight were downed in April alone.
The US has frequently used MQ-9s for drone strikes in its terror wars across the region, but they are very vulnerable when dealing with an enemy that has air defenses. During the US bombing campaigns in Yemen in 2024 and 2025, the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, shot down about 20 MQ-9s.
During the bombing campaign in Iran, the MQ-9s were used to fire 250-pound small-diameter bombs, which have a longer range than the Hellfire missiles the drones are usually equipped with. US officials previously told The Wall Street Journal that the US military had lost MQ-9s both in the air and on the ground as Iranian missile and drone attacks have struck US bases across the region.
The US has also lost multiple manned aircraft, including F-15 fighter jets, C-130 cargo planes, a KC-135 refueling tanker, and at least one A-10 attack plane. While the cost of lost aircraft exceeds $1 billion, it’s just a fraction of the war’s total cost, which is estimated to be at least $49 billion.
