How exactly did Iran do it? Another U.S. MQ-9 drone has been shot down! On May 26, according to foreign media reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone and forced a RQ-4 drone and an F-35 fighter jet to leave Iranian airspace. Moreover, Iran warned the United States not to violate the ceasefire agreement and emphasized its right to retaliate.
In fact, according to media coverage and confirmation from U.S. military sources, this marks the 25th MQ-9 drone shot down by Iran. The U.S. military originally had around 230 MQ-9 drones in its inventory; thus, Iran has now destroyed over 20% of America’s fleet of these drones. Each such drone costs approximately $30 to $32 million, meaning the U.S. has already suffered losses exceeding $800 million just on these drones.
The MQ-9 is the core armed reconnaissance drone used by the U.S. military in the Middle East. Why have U.S. losses been so severe? This likely indicates two things: First, despite the U.S. military's exaggerated claims about the capabilities of this equipment, its actual performance is mediocre. Especially with a cruising speed of only over 300 km/h, a large radar cross-section, and no stealth design, it is easily detected and locked onto.
Second, the drone relies heavily on satellite communication links, which are highly susceptible to electronic jamming. Once subjected to electronic interference, it loses contact and control, turning into a “headless fly,” either crashing or being directly shot down. Clearly, given such poor performance combined with such high costs, selling these drones in the future will undoubtedly pose a major challenge. It seems the United States may have no choice but to develop new replacement systems.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866239671287819/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.