US scrambles to replenish Reaper drones lost during war on Iran: Report

The US Air Force is seeking to acquire additional MQ-9 Reaper drones after suffering heavy losses during the joint US-Israeli aggression against Iran, according to a report.

The War Zone reported on Saturday that the Air Force has received funding to purchase several unused MQ-9A Block 5 drones from manufacturer General Atomics in an effort to replenish its fleet.

An Air Force spokesperson told the outlet that the service intends to acquire available aircraft that were originally built for other customers but are no longer required.

Air & Space Forces Magazine reported last month that the US lost nearly 30 MQ-9 Reapers during 40 days of war against Iran.

It said the US lost many aircraft to Iran’s air defenses, though some MQ-9s based in the region were struck while on the ground.

Iran’s Armed Forces targeted US bases throughout the region during the aggression.

The War Zone said the losses have significantly reduced the Air Force’s Reaper inventory.

According to official budget documents cited in the report, the fleet stood at 165 aircraft at the start of the current fiscal year, down sharply from 231 a year earlier.

Lieutenant General David Tabor, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, told lawmakers last month that the service was looking to “buy back as many of the MQ-9As as we possibly can right now.”

However, General Atomics said fewer than 10 unused MQ-9A drones remain available worldwide.

The MQ-9A is no longer in production, with General Atomics having shifted manufacturing to the newer MQ-9B variant.

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The report said the Air Force is also turning to retired MQ-1 Predator drones for spare parts to help sustain remaining Reaper operations.

A recently-released Congressional report said the American military lost at least 42 aircraft during the war, with the total cost estimated at approximately $2.6 billion.

The report was prepared last month for Congress using information from the Pentagon, United States Central Command, and defense media outlets.

According to the document, the losses include fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, refueling planes, combat rescue helicopters, and drones.

According to the assessment, replacing some of the destroyed aircraft could require restarting production lines for systems that are no longer manufactured.

The United States and Israel launched their illegal war against Iran on February 28, triggering large-scale Iranian missile and drone retaliation against Israeli targets and American military assets across the region.

During the war, the Iranian Armed Forces managed to intercept and shoot down several invading fighter jets, missiles, and drones.

Military observers say the war demonstrated the vulnerability of advanced American military systems against Iran’s missile and drone capabilities.

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