Vulnerable but valuable: Why US uses MQ‑9 Reapers; India set to get 31 drones

Nearly thirty MQ-9 Reaper drones operated by US Central Command have been shot down by Iranian armed forces since the beginning of the conflict, according to ABC News.The US is said to have lost as many as 42 aircraft in the campaign. The Reaper has been central to US operations in the CENTCOM theatre, which covers the West Asia area of responsibility.It has flown surveillance and strike missions for years over Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria, in operations against ISIS and for anti-piracy missions.The Reaper—a slow, high-flying drone designed for reconnaissance—thrived in those missions because it operated in largely uncontested airspace against foes that lacked the ability to reach and engage it.This conflict with Iran is unusual: the slow-moving aircraft, which often follows predictable flight paths, has become an easy target for air defenses that do not have to contend with erratic maneuvers.Yet, the Reaper’s ability to fly long, slow,…