EngO that time article would be hilarious if it wasn't so depressing. It is a great example of the worst of journalism.
The author decides to define a unit of reaper as all the aircraft and kit needed to sustain a 24/7/365 orbit, which isn't a bad idea, but then proceeds to compare it to a single aircraft of various types. He should have compared it to however many f16s it takes to cover a 24/7/365 task, but then he wouldn't get the answer he is desperately seeking.