81 US aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war as equipment losses reach up to $3.3B

(TNND) — At least 81 U.S. military aircraft and drones have been lost or damaged during operations against Iran since the war began in February, with the cost of equipment losses estimated at between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, according to an updated Congressional Research Service report.

The revised report, updated Oct. 5, nearly doubles the 42 aircraft the nonpartisan research arm of Congress identified in May. It includes fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and uncrewed systems damaged, destroyed, shot down or lost in mishaps since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28.

The total is not necessarily a count of aircraft permanently destroyed. The report cautioned that some of the damaged aircraft may have returned to active service and said its findings could still change because of classification, continuing combat activity and questions over attribution.

Drones account for most of the reported losses. The report lists 45 MQ-9 Reapers, as well as three MQ-1 drones and one MQ-4C Triton.

Among the crewed aircraft, the report lists 12 F-15E Strike Eagles, seven KC-135 Stratotankers, two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, an F-35A Lightning II and an E-3 Sentry airborne early-warning aircraft.

Three F-15Es were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March, according to U.S. Central Command, while another was destroyed over Iran in April. Eight additional F-15Es were lightly damaged in an Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan last month and later returned to service, the report said.

The seven KC-135s include one that crashed in Iraq in March, killing all six crew members, and another that made an emergency landing following the same incident. Five more were damaged on the ground during an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

The report also details aircraft tied to the April rescue of the crew of a downed F-15E over Iran. Two MC-130J aircraft supporting the mission were intentionally destroyed after they could not take off, while one HH-60W rescue helicopter was damaged. U.S. forces also destroyed four AH-6 Little Bird helicopters during rescue operations, according to the Pentagon inspector general.

The cost estimate is from the Congressional Budget Office and reflects equipment losses across the conflict as of Aug. 1, depending on the Pentagon’s replacement plans.

The report says the losses could prompt congressional scrutiny over whether the Pentagon has enough information and funding to replace damaged aircraft, as well as whether losses of limited, high-demand platforms could create capability gaps elsewhere.