US loses 45 Reaper drones in Iran war as CENTCOM denies USS Lincoln death reports

WASHINGTON, Aug 14: The US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, roughly a quarter of its fleet, while US Central Command (CENTCOM) has rejected reports of deaths and a rise in suicidal ideation among sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The Washington Post, citing three US officials familiar with the matter, reported that the Reapers have been heavily used for surveillance and targeted strikes, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz. Not all of the drones were shot down, with some reportedly crashing after losing communications links with their operators. The drones can cost between $30 million and $50 million each, potentially putting the value of the losses above $1.3 billion.

Separately, CENTCOM denied reports that seven sailors died in a brawl aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and that suicidal ideation had increased among the crew. “No service members aboard the aircraft carrier have died,” CENTCOM said, adding that a sailor who fell overboard on August 3 was quickly and safely recovered.

CENTCOM said the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group remained “resilient and resolved” after more than 260 days at sea, 10,000 aircraft flights and the expenditure of 1.5 million pounds of ordnance.