The Washington Post published a lengthy report about the drone that was struck by a Russian warplane over the Black Sea and shot down on Tuesday. General James B. Hecker, a senior military official overseeing air operations in the region, stated that the drone was "conducting routine operations in international airspace" when it was hit by a Russian Su-27 jet, describing this as "unsafe and unprofessional behavior by the Russians."
The article noted that the drone is a Reaper, a reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle used by the United States Air Force to gather intelligence and conduct surveillance, search and rescue missions, and precise strikes on high-value and sensitive targets. It highlighted that these drones have conducted missions over Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and other countries, and are remotely operated by teams from two of 20 bases across 17 states, one controlling the UAV and the other operating the sensors and directing weapons.
The drone can carry eight laser-guided missiles, 16 Hellfire missiles, and up to 1,300 pounds (590 liters) of fuel. This allows it to fly distances of 1,150 miles (1,850 kilometers) and reach altitudes of up to 50,000 feet. The U.S. Air Force has contracted General Atomics to produce more than 360 Reapers since the program began in 2007, with each Reaper costing approximately $30 million.
The Reaper measures 36 feet (11 meters) in length, has a wingspan of 66 feet (20 meters), and a payload capacity of 3,750 pounds (1,700 kilograms). It is equipped with sensors and infrared cameras, as well as a laser designator.
The New York Times reported that the downing of the Reaper, considered the backbone of the U.S. Army's aerial reconnaissance fleet, could escalate tensions between Washington and Moscow, with U.S. officials accusing the Russian forces involved in the incident of acting recklessly. The newspaper quoted U.S. military officials stating that "the drone was on a reconnaissance mission when it was intercepted by two Russian Su-27 fighter jets 75 miles southwest of the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia uses as a base to launch devastating strikes."
A senior American military official indicated that the Reaper took off from its base in Romania on Tuesday morning for a regularly scheduled reconnaissance mission, which usually lasts about nine to ten hours, noting that the drone was unarmed. The military official added that "the incident stunned U.S. military officials as they watched it unfold via video from the drone to an operations center at Ramstein Air Base in Germany."
David A. Deptula, a retired Air Force general, commented that unless the Reaper had unique sensors, "there would not be a significant loss if the Russians seized it." He wrote in an email to the newspaper: "We've lost Reapers over Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, and Syria, and parts of them have certainly been exploited or shared."
The New York Times stated that the Reaper drone can reach speeds of up to 275 miles (442 kilometers) per hour and is designed for long flights, with some models capable of flying for up to 34 hours. It mentioned that while the Reaper can drop bombs and launch missiles, its slow speed and lack of defensive armaments make it relatively easy to shoot down.
Meanwhile, the Russian military denied causing the downing of the American drone over the Black Sea, stating that their fighter jets did not interact with the drone and that it crashed due to a "sharp maneuver." The Russian Defense Ministry said, "The Russian fighters did not use their weapons on the drone and did not engage with it and returned safely to their bases."
