A MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle prepares to land after a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on October 20 it had shot down a United States MQ-9 Reaper combat drone over the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the interception marked the 54th Reaper destroyed since the start of the war.
In a statement, IRGC said its Aerospace Force used a new air defense system integrated into Iran’s national air defense network to bring down the drone. The Corps did not identify the system or provide details about the engagement.
The U.S. Air Force has not publicly disclosed a comprehensive tally of its MQ-9 losses in the conflict, according to a September report by the Congressional Research Service. The report cited an August news report, based on U.S. government sources, that put American losses at 45 Reapers at that time.
Manufactured by General Atomics, the MQ-9 is a turboprop-powered drone used for intelligence gathering, surveillance and precision strikes.
The drone has a wingspan of 20.1 meters, can operate at altitudes of up to 15,240 meters and can carry guided missiles and bombs. The Congressional Research Service puts its unit cost at $30 million to $50 million, depending on the exact configuration.
The reported interception underscores that Iranian air defenses remain a credible threat to U.S. warplanes, particularly drones.
Despite their advanced sensors and long endurance, Reapers operating over contested areas remain vulnerable to ground-based air defense systems.
The latest shootdown comes amid a sharp rise in attacks on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where at least 15 vessels were struck over a 10-day period.
A recent Reuters report, citing two senior Iranian officials, that Tehran was stepping up attacks and changing tactics to keep oil prices high and influence the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, in an apparent effort to increase pressure on President Donald Trump ahead of the vote.
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