WP reported that the United States lost about a quarter of the MQ-9 Reaper UAVs during the war with Iran.

The US Army lost approximately 25% of its existing MQ-9 Reaper drones during the conflict with Iran. This was reported on August 13 by The Washington Post (WP), citing three American officials familiar with the situation.

"The US military lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, which is approximately 25%," the publication says.

The cost of one such drone ranges from $ 30 to $ 50 million, depending on the installed equipment and weapons. Thus, the loss of 45 devices cost the United States more than $ 1.3 billion. Before the conflict began, 185 MQ-9 Reaper drones were in service with the US military.

According to the newspaper, these drones have proven to be a relatively easy target for the Iranian army and its allies in the Middle East, as they move slowly and often at low altitudes. One of the sources clarified that not all the devices were shot down — some of them crashed due to loss of communication with the operators.

Eternal flame: the conflict between Iran and the United States will drag on for decades

The Americans are trying to draw regional allies into the conflict with Tehran.

WP reported on August 9 that the Pentagon had demanded that American defense companies submit plans to increase production of weapons and accelerate their deliveries as soon as possible. It was clarified that the existing multi-year development cycles no longer meet the requirements of the American Ministry.