A recent report by Bloomberg states that Iran has destroyed more than two dozen US MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the ongoing conflict between Tehran and Washington, resulting in losses estimated at nearly $1 billion.
According to the report, the destroyed drones account for roughly 20% of the Pentagon’s pre-war MQ-9 Reaper inventory. The losses reportedly include drones shot down by Iranian air defense systems during operations, as well as aircraft destroyed on the ground in missile strikes and incidents linked to the conflict.
The MQ-9 Reaper, developed by General Atomics, is one of the United States’ primary unmanned aerial systems used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and precision strike missions. Each drone is estimated to cost more than $30 million depending on its configuration and support systems, meaning the reported destruction of at least 24 drones aligns with Bloomberg’s estimate of approximately $1 billion in losses.
The latest figures represent a significant increase from earlier reports published in March 2026, when US officials acknowledged that around 10 MQ-9 Reapers had been lost during the conflict. Additional reporting from outlets including ABC News and CBS News later suggested the number of destroyed or damaged US aircraft and drones had continued to rise as fighting intensified.
The conflict, sometimes referred to in media reports as “Operation Epic Fury,” has seen heavy exchanges of drones and missiles between both sides. Analysts note that while the Reaper drone has been highly effective in conflicts where the US maintained air superiority, it has proven more vulnerable in heavily contested airspace against advanced air defense networks.
Military analysts say the reported losses highlight the growing risks faced by expensive unmanned systems in modern warfare, particularly in conflicts involving advanced missile and radar capabilities.
