• Since March 15, the U.S. has lost seven $30 million MQ-9 Reaper drones near Yemen amid an ongoing air campaign against Huthi forces.
• The drones, used for reconnaissance and strikes, are part of efforts to counter rebel attacks on regional shipping; causes of the losses remain undisclosed.
Since March 15, the United States has lost seven MQ-9 Reaper drones in the vicinity of Yemen, each worth tens of millions of dollars— according to a U.S. official speaking on Monday. On the same day, the Navy also reported that an expensive fighter jet had plunged from an aircraft carrier into the Red Sea.
Washington began its latest wave of airstrikes against Yemen’s Huthi forces in mid-March. The MQ-9 drones play a dual role in these operations, providing reconnaissance—vital for identifying and locating the rebel weapons systems used to strike regional shipping—as well as carrying out targeted attacks.
“There have been seven MQ-9s that have gone down since March 15,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The official did not elaborate on the causes behind the losses. Each drone has an estimated value of about $30 million.
