US MQ-9 Drone Downed in Northwest Yemen
Late on April 13, the Yemeni Army Defense Forces observed and successfully destroyed a US Army MQ-9 drone while it was conducting a hostile mission in the airspace of Hajjah province.
This incident marks the 23rd MQ-9 drone downed during the Yemeni conflict. Out of these, 19 were shot down as part of the Yemeni Armed Forces’ support operation for Palestine, which is titled “Promised Conquest and Holy Jihad.”
Since the conflict in Yemen began, the Yemeni Armed Forces have shot down a total of 116 military aircraft belonging to the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, and Jordan across various fronts in the country. Among these, 26 aircraft are attributed to the US military, including 23 MQ-9 drones, one F/A-18F fighter jet, one UH-60M helicopter, and one V-22 Osprey helicopter.
The MQ-9 drone is one of the US military’s advanced multi-purpose drones, utilized for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attack operations in several conflicts, including those in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. The MQ-9 has faced significant challenges on the Yemeni front, with 23 of this drone type shot down by the Yemeni Armed Forces’ air defenses. The financial loss to the US military from these incidents is considerable, estimated at $736 million.
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