Houthi announced that he had shot down the US $30 million `Evil Bird` UAV 0
(Dan Tri) – Houthi fighters in Yemen claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
America’s MQ-9 Reaper UAV in a combat mission (Photo: US Air Force).
`In Hodeidah, air defense forces shot down a US aircraft (MQ-9) with a suitable missile while the aircraft was carrying out hostile missions against our country,` said the spokesman.
`The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to take additional military measures and carry out more qualified operations against all hostile targets to defend Yemen and to affirm its position of support.`
According to the Houthi spokesman, `the activities of the Yemeni Armed Forces in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea will not stop until the aggression stops and the siege of the Gaza Strip is lifted.`
Previously, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) off the coast of Yemen in November last year.
The Houthis are part of the `axis of resistance`, which brings together anti-Israel forces in the Middle East.
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October, the Houthis have also announced attacks on US and British cargo ships and warships in the Red Sea.
The MQ-9 Reaper (Evil Bird) is used by the US Air Force to gather intelligence and perform surveillance, search and rescue, and precision strike missions on high-value targets and
These UAVs have served missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and other countries.
The MQ-9 Reaper can carry up to 8 laser-guided missiles or 16 Hellfire missiles and nearly 600kg of fuel.
The US Air Force has signed a contract with General Atomics to build more than 360 Reapers since they went into production in 2007. Currently, a Reaper UAV costs about 30 million USD, which is more expensive than a helicopter.
The MQ-9 Reaper is nearly 10 meters long, with a wingspan of 20 meters and a payload of 1.8 tons.
However, the Reaper’s operating time if carrying full weapons is reduced to only 14 hours compared to 24 hours of the Predator.
The UAV is also equipped with a complete sensor suite with laser target designator, infrared camera and rotating electro-optical camera below the front of the aircraft to help perceive the scene below and provide images,
