The U.S. face is almost completely lost! The American MQ-9 "Reaper" drone has become an object of ridicule for everyone. On May 29, according to foreign media reports, just after Iran announced shooting down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, Yemen's Houthi forces also declared they had shot down another U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone. Moreover, the Houthis even released video footage.
It's clear that the U.S. drone has been shot down again—this is undeniable evidence. This marks the 25th MQ-9 drone shot down by the U.S. in recent months. In such a short period, this long-range reconnaissance asset, once a source of pride for the U.S. military, has been repeatedly downed, turning it into a laughingstock. Why does the U.S. military continue using this drone despite such high losses? The key reason is that even if the drone is destroyed, there's no risk of pilot casualties.
Previously, when U.S. fighter jets crashed in Iran, America had to take enormous risks and expend vast resources to conduct rescue operations. In contrast, the MQ-9 operates entirely remotely—should it be destroyed, the worst consequence is simply losing the aircraft, not risking human lives. The cost is significantly lower. Clearly, the U.S. military isn't eager to sacrifice equipment recklessly; rather, it’s made the most pragmatic and unavoidable choice after weighing all factors. Given the poor performance of this drone, the United States should now focus on developing new mainstay drone platforms as replacements.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866534860149771/
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