File image.
Iran said its air defenses have shot down four United States MQ-1 combat drones in a matter of days, with two of the claimed interceptions taking place on the same day over or near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on September 15 that its air defense forces brought down an MQ-1 over the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported that the drone was detected and tracked before being engaged by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system.
Earlier the same day, the IRGC announced that another U.S. MQ-1 had been shot down west of the Strait. Press TV said the aircraft was detected by Iranian air defenses before being destroyed.
The two claims followed another reported MQ-1 shootdown on September 14. Iranian media had also reported an earlier interception in southeastern Iran, bringing the number claimed destroyed to four within several days.
Iran has not provided enough information to independently establish the exact variant of all four aircraft. Iranian reports have referred to them as MQ-1s, and some have specifically called them Predator drones.
The U.S. Air Force retired its MQ-1B Predator in 2018 and replaced it with the larger MQ-9 Reaper for its armed unmanned-aircraft fleet. The U.S. Army, however, continues to operate the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, a more capable derivative of the Predator that remains in active service.
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle is about 8.5 meters long, has a 17-meter wingspan and can remain airborne for roughly 24 hours. It has a maximum speed of about 150 knots and can operate at altitudes up to 29,000 feet depending on configuration. The aircraft carries electro-optical and infrared sensors and can be armed with Hellfire missiles.
That makes the MQ-1C Gray Eagle the only MQ-1-series aircraft still in U.S. military service, rather than the retired MQ-1B Predator.
In any case, the downing of the drones is a sign that Iran’s efforts to rebuild its air defenses are paying off. The Islamic Republic is only inflicting material losses on the U.S. military by taking down these drones, but also limiting its ability to gather intelligence.
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