MQ-9s are ~$30 million USD and are strike capable.

Sure. But looking at all of the downed Israeli crafts, they are all $2-5m drones (all 18 of them).

For perspective: Patriot missiles cost $4m each.

The two(2) H450s are in that unit cost range. The others and the Heron variants range to $40 million. A not insignificant number of Iranian aircraft(such as the US-produced F-5s and C-130s acquired before 1979's Revolution) are low unit costs comparably to the UAVs("drones") lost here.

Attrition compared to US materiel(not material - although that too greatly burdens cost to the US) depletion such as the aforementioned Patriot does not favor the US for sustained operations in theater(let alone should a second theater contingency operation occur).

I wasn't comparing to Iran, I was just saying that putting an F-35 and a $2m drone on the same list and same count was funny.

As for the $40m number: I also saw this number, but I don't think it's correct. E.g. Germany recently bought 140 of them for $165m. Ref: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/1649255166-ger...

It's not just about cost - a $2m drone and a $200m drone can both be sacrificed if cost/benefit analysis merits it.

You don't sacrifice pilots, ever.

That’s because Patriots are typically upped, now downed.