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The United States Department of Defense has lost eight MQ-9 Reaper drones in the Middle East since the start of the month, CBS News reported on April 9.
The report, which cites two American officials, noted that the latest losses brought the total number of such drones lost in the Iran war up to 24.
The drones represent a loss of about $720 million. Depending on the variant, a single Reaper drone can cost about $30 million or more.
MQ-9 drones are primarily used to collect intelligence, but have the ability to conduct pinpoint strikes. The advanced drones can operate for more than 27 hours and reach altitudes of over 25,000 feet.
Over the past nine days, Iranian state media released videos showing the successful interception of four drones, alleged to be Reaper.
Qaem-118, a jet-powered, tube-launched kinetic interceptor, was credited with most of these recent kills. The interceptor, equipped with an imaging thermal seeker, was especially designed to take down drones. It is reported to have a range of up to 25 kilometers.
The CBS News report came just a day after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire to hold talks after mediation by Pakistan.
At the start of the war more than a month ago, the U.S. and Israel largely succeeded in neutralizing the upper tiers of Iran’s air defense network. Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic’s short-range air defense systems survived, and managed to score dozens of interceptions against not just drones, but also fighter jets.
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iran lost the biggest submarine collection of any non coastal nation on earth as well as an entire navy. keep it real. 150 vessels including subs destroyers frigates. hundreds of billions of dollars worth.