(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The United States has lost another of its MQ-9B Reaper drones, valued at $30 million (approximately RM135 million), after it was shot down by Houthi militants in Yemen.
The American-made MQ-9B, primarily an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) drone that can be equipped with guided missiles, was brought down using an Iranian-supplied “358” missile.
In the latest incident, the Reaper was successfully targeted along the coastal region of Marib, Yemen.
Footage released by the Houthi group showed the wreckage of the drone where it crashed.
This marks the fifth American MQ-9B Reaper downed in the Middle East and the fourth shot down by Houthi forces since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The first MQ-9 Reaper was shot down last November, followed by another in February, and a fourth in late April near the coastal area of Hodeidah, Yemen.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthis, confirmed that the drone was downed in Marib using a surface-to-air missile and accused the American drone of conducting “hostile operations” in the Marib region.
Subsequently, the Houthis released videos claiming to show the missile being launched at the drone, as well as nighttime footage of the missile striking the drone.
To date, the U.S. Department of Defense has not issued any statement regarding the Houthis’ claims of another successful downing of an MQ-9B.
The U.S. military employs the MQ-9 Reaper, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GASI), to ensure the safety of the coastal waters off Yemen for commercial shipping.
The advanced drone is capable of flying for 27 hours at altitudes up to 50,000 feet, carrying payloads exceeding 1.7 tons, including sensitive sensor and electronic systems.
Operated primarily for ISR missions, the MQ-9 Reaper can also be equipped with “Hellfire” missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II, and GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) for strike purposes.
As of 2021, the U.S. Air Force reportedly operates over 300 MQ-9 Reapers, which were introduced to the U.S. military in 2007, with an expected service end in 2035.
The Houthi militants are believed to employ the “Saqr 358” dual-mode guided missile, which combines the capabilities of a suicide drone and an anti-aircraft missile, targeting primarily drones operated by Iran’s enemies in Middle Eastern conflict zones.
Developed by Iran, this advanced missile has also been effectively used by Iran-backed proxy groups in various conflicts across the region, including by Houthis in Yemen and other militant groups in Iraq and now by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Since 2020, the Houthis have released footage showing the use of the “Saqr 358” as an anti-aircraft missile to destroy fighter jets, helicopters, and drones.
Little is known about the technical specifications of this dual-mode missile, but the “Saqr 358” is about 3 meters long, 152mm in diameter, weighs 50kg, and uses a small turbojet engine capable of reaching ranges from 10km to 100km.
The missile carries a 10kg high fragmentation warhead and requires no sophisticated launch system, making it easily relocatable. — DSA