45 Reaper Drones Lost in Iran War, 25% of Fleet

Drones are robot planes that people fly from far away using controllers.

The United States has special drones called Reapers, made by a company called General Atomics.

During a war with Iran that began in February, the US lost at least 45 Reapers — about one out of every four it owned.

Losing so many could cost taxpayers more than $1.3 billion, because each Reaper costs about $30 million to $50 million.

Some drones were shot down, and some crashed when the people controlling them lost the signal that guides the plane.

Many were lost near the Strait of Hormuz, a very important narrow waterway.

The Reaper flies slowly and often low in the sky, which makes it easier for enemies to shoot down.

The losses are part of a bigger problem, because the war has also used up many other US weapons.

US leaders are now trying to get billions of dollars from Congress to replace what was lost, and the losses may lead to changes in drone technology.