Screen grab from the video released by the Houthis.
Late on August 14, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) shared footage showing the wreckage of a US Boeing Insitu ScanEagle 2 drone that was shot down on the same day.
According to the Houthis, the drone was shot down with an unpacified “ground-to-air” missile over the district of Medghal in western Ma’rib. The Houthis have been leading a large offensive in the central province against the Saudi-led coalition and its proxies for more than five months now.
The was the third ScanEagle 2 drone to be shot down by the Houthis this year. The first one was downed on June 20, while the second was shot down two days later. Both drones were shot down over the district of Sirwah in Ma’rib.
The ScanEagle 2, which entered service with the US military in 2014, has a top speed of 148 km and an endurance of more than 16 hours. The drone is mainly used for reconnaissance missions. It is equipped a day and night capable sensor, a fully digital video system and an advanced navigation system.
The Houthis possess several types of man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADs) as well as modified air-to-air missiles, such as Soviet-made, infrared-guided R-27T and R-73E.
In the last few years, the Houthis developed their air-defense capabilities in a significant manner. The group shot down at least three General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper combat drones of the US.
