• The US lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reapers, roughly 25 percent of its pre-war fleet, worth over $1.3 billion in Operation Epic Fury.

  • Losses stem from Iranian air defences, regional proxy attacks in Iraq and Yemen, and crashes from link failures with ground controllers.

  • The fleet fell from 185 to roughly 135 aircraft, adding to broader munitions strain including over 850 Tomahawks expended.