American drone downed in Yemen amid rising Red Sea tensions

Yemeni Houthi rebels have made their presence felt once more. A video and photos confirming the downing of an American MQ-9 Reaper drone have surfaced online. We remind readers of the key traits of this advanced and very expensive UAV.

The Iran-backed group has been conducting attacks on both military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea since December 2023, as a show of support for the Palestinian Hamas fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip. The United States has also been very active in the Middle East, and through intelligence operations, they try to assist Israel. However, this often leads to losses in equipment.

This time, the MQ-9 Reaper drone was downed. According to information provided by the Houthis, the successful attack on the American UAV took place over northern Yemen in the Sada province. The Pentagon, commenting on the event, stated in a brief communiqué that they are investigating the reports, but so far they are unable to provide details.

As noted on the Globe Eye News profile on X, the MQ-9 Reaper is valued at over 30 million dollars.

The MQ-9 Reaper is a drone developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems based on the MQ-1 Predator. It can be used for reconnaissance and strike missions (equipped with appropriate armaments). It began service with the U.S. military in 2007.

The MQ-9 Reaper is over 36 feet long, and its wingspan is nearly 66 feet. It provides a flight endurance of up to 27 hours. It can operate at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet.

The maximum speed achieved by this American UAV is about 273 miles per hour. It can carry reconnaissance equipment (observation heads with a thermal camera or radar) or armaments with a total mass of 3,748 pounds.

Dedicated missiles and bombs are mounted on several built-in pylons. The MQ-9 Reaper is adapted for air-to-ground missiles like the AGM-114 Hellfire II, air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, or guided bombs from the Paveway II and JDAM families.