Iranian forces have brought down at least two U.S. MQ-1 unmanned aircraft in recent days, adding to hundreds of millions of dollars in American drone losses since the war with Iran began.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — Iranian forces have downed at least two American MQ-1 unmanned aircraft in recent days as the U.S. military continues to sustain costly drone losses during the war with Iran, according to U.S. officials.
The officials confirmed the destruction of the aircraft to CBS News but spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the incidents. They did not disclose where the drones were operating when they were brought down or identify the specific MQ-1 variant involved.
Determining the variant is significant because the U.S. military has operated two principal aircraft carrying the MQ-1 designation with substantially different capabilities and costs.
The Air Force operated the MQ-1 Predator extensively during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan before retiring the aircraft in 2018. The U.S. Army continues to operate the larger MQ-1C Gray Eagle, an aircraft derived from the Predator platform.
Both systems were developed primarily for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. They also can be armed with Hellfire missiles, allowing the remotely piloted aircraft to conduct strikes in addition to surveillance operations.
In and around the Strait of Hormuz, drones of this type can remain airborne for extended periods while monitoring Iranian military movements, identifying possible threats to U.S. forces and observing activity affecting commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
The financial impact of the two latest losses depends heavily on which MQ-1 aircraft were destroyed.
If both were older Predator aircraft, their combined value would be approximately $8 million. Gray Eagles are considerably more expensive, with individual aircraft potentially costing tens of millions of dollars depending on the configuration and variant.
The two MQ-1 losses add to a growing inventory of American unmanned aircraft destroyed during the conflict.
At least 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones have been lost since the United States began its war with Iran, according to figures from a Congressional Budget Office report released this week. Those aircraft represent approximately $720 million in losses.
The MQ-9 is a larger and more advanced remotely piloted aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike missions.
The U.S. military has also lost an MQ-4C Triton, a high-altitude maritime surveillance aircraft valued at approximately $150 million, according to the CBO figures.
Combined, the previously reported Reaper and Triton losses amount to approximately $870 million, excluding the value of the two MQ-1 aircraft now reported destroyed.
The latest incidents further expand the number of American unmanned systems lost during the conflict as U.S. forces rely on remotely piloted aircraft for surveillance and other missions over Iran and the surrounding region.
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