A Crazy Expensive U.S. Drone Just Disappeared Over Strait Of Hormuz

[groundloop]

Source: Forbes

On 9th April a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drone on patrol in the Strait of Hormuz turned towards Iran, emitted an automated “code 7700” alert – a general signal used for any aircraft in distress -- and fell rapidly from 52,000 feet. When it dropped below 10,000 feet the signal from its transponder was lost.

The event was tracked on open-source flight tracker FlightRadar. There has not yet been official confirmation whether the drone crashed, was shot down by an Iranian missile, or whether it somehow recovered and made it back to base.

The Triton is a big drone, with a larger wingspan than a Boeing 737 airliner. It is also insanely expensive. The loss should raise question about how it got so expensive and whether this role needs such pricey drones.

[....]

By the actual 2024 budget the flyaway cost had – not too surprisingly -- gone up even more, to a staggering $187m per aircraft...which made the sidekick more expensive than the P-8 Poseidon it was supposed to help.



Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2026/04/10/a-crazy-expensive-us-drone-just-disappeared-over-strait-of-hormuz/

[SunSeeker]

1. There's a reason Trump spawn invested in drones at the start of the war. NT

[Ziggysmom]

2. But we can't afford medical care for all. To all the turd heads that voted for this administration

I have only three words: Go fuck yourself!

[Luciferous]

9. Exactly what I was going to say!

[vapor2]

19. The turd heads have helped make our lives miserable and shorter

[ck4829]

25. Indeed!

[Bayard]

3. trump's, "Excursion," gets more insanely expensive all the time

Wider than a 737?

[Blue Full Moon]

4. Why is Trump disarming America?

[ToxMarz]

5. To Kegsbreath they are all just toys to play with

And he's gonna play with them until he breaks them all.

[vapor2]

20. Literally

[IronLionZion]

6. That's the price of freedom

Instead of Medicare for all which takes away our freedoms.

[Politicub]

7. A drone that's larger than a 737?

I need to let that sink in.

[Deminpenn]

13. Wingspan, not total size

nt

[Politicub]

24. That's still very big

"No, no. Not that large."

[displacedvermoter]

26. That's something like 117 feet!

The fuselage must be fairly simple substantial, correct!

Pretty large, is a pretty safe bet, and I agree, that is one very large -- and far to expensive -- drone.

[C Moon]

15. I guess they can't spy outside your window.

[James48]

8. Bad data.

They WERE going to cost $137 million each as initially proposed.

They then cut the number of units from 70 to just 27. So the cost per unit has skyrocketed.

It’s now estimated to be $618 million each. The one that disappeared was just delivered a few months ago, and was state of the art. It was last seen descending below 10,000 feet and headed directly for Iran.

[Deminpenn]

16. That is how it always happens

Trust me, seen it happen many times on new programs.

[Talitha]

10. 47' 7" L x 130' 11" W x 15' 5" H

That's big drone! Looks like a plane.
LINK

[Deminpenn]

14. It is a plane, just a remotely controlled one

nt

[LymphocyteLover]

11. JFC, war is such a scam

[Brother Buzz]

12. Just spitballing here, but I wonder if the drone might have been dropped by electronic jamming.

[3Hotdogs]

18. Its disappearance had nothing to do with Iran. We know this because Anal Fistula obliterated ALL of

Iran's air defense.

[RainCaster]

17. With defense contractors like this...

We don't need any traitors like TSF. We have plenty sending us bigass invoices.

[Buddyzbuddy]

21. It wouldn't by any chance be the drone company that Usay and Kusay bought into, is it?

Last edited Sat Apr 11, 2026, 08:45 AM - Edit history (1)

[Aussie105]

22. At a guess:

It ran out of fuel because someone forgot to gas it up.

The operator fell asleep.

It hit something - a bird, another plane, Superman?

I'm wondering how many meals you could provide to homeless people for $187M.

Undoubtedly, some alien civilization will visit earth in the future and marvel at all the junk at the bottom of the oceans.

[fujiyamasan]

23. It's understandable why Saudi Arabia is in talks with Ukraine

Without consulting the US. Ukraine is probably the only country right now outside of Iran, Russia or China that can build them with the required economies of scale, making them considerably cheaper than anything produced by western arms manufacturers. Brilliant move on Zelensky’s part — and they’re wreaking havoc on Russia’s oil industry.