The United States Air Force lost an MQ-9 Reaper armed drone early Monday (November 24, 2025) after it went down off the coast of Maldo-Ri island in South Korea, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred around 4:35 a.m. local time during what the Air Force described as a “routine mission.”
What did the USAF say about the Reaper crash?
According to a statement issued by the 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, the drone, assigned to the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron and operating out of Kunsan Air Base, crashed roughly 15 miles from the launch point.
No injuries or damage to civilian property were reported, and an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the crash.
When did the squadron get deployed in South Korea?
The deployment of the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron itself is relatively recent. The unit was activated in September following President Donald Trump’s directive to strengthen the US military posture in the Western Pacific.
The Trump directive came amid escalating tensions with North Korea and increasingly assertive Chinese military maneuvers. However, the Air Force did not disclose the specific mission the MQ-9 was carrying out at the time of the incident.
What is the MQ-9 Reaper?
The MQ-9 Reaper, manufactured by General Atomics, is one of the US military’s most advanced unmanned aerial systems.
Priced at approximately $33 million as of 2024, the drone can be remotely piloted or flown autonomously, and is capable of carrying up to 3,800 pounds of munitions—including Hellfire missiles and precision-guided bombs—across seven weapon hardpoints.
First deployed in combat in 2007 during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Reaper earned its first confirmed kill that same year in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province.
The aircraft boasts a maximum speed of 300 mph, a range of 1,200 miles, and an endurance of up to 27 hours—making it crucial for sustained surveillance and strike operations.
What American assets are in the Kunsan air base?
Kunsan Air Base, home to more than 2,800 US personnel and the 8th Fighter Wing, plays a central role in America’s Indo-Pacific defense strategy.
Located 110 miles south of Seoul, it supports Seventh Air Force operations under Pacific Air Forces, headquartered in Hawaii.
The crash comes at a sensitive time for regional security, highlighting the heightened operational tempo in Northeast Asia.