The U.S. Air Force reports that its MQ-9 Reaper fleet has decreased to 135 aircraft following combat losses attributed to Iran, according to multiple outlets. The services are working to backfill the inventory to restore operational capacity. In parallel with efforts to replace the lost MQ-9s, the Air Force is also pursuing a lower-cost alternative intended to be more expendable. The reporting characterizes the replacement approach as focused on affordability and quantity rather than matching the exact performance and cost of the existing Reaper fleet. While the sources describe the same fleet count and general replacement strategy, they do not provide additional detail on when the losses occurred, the specific circumstances of each loss, or the full acquisition plan for the cheaper replacement. The outlets agree that the near-term priority is replenishing the MQ-9 force level and that the Air Force is evaluating options that would allow it to field more systems under tighter cost and attrition pressures.