US military lost or damaged 81 aircraft in Iran war, CRS report says
- The United States military has lost or sustained damage to at least 81 aircraft during military operations against Iran, resulting in costs estimated between $1.9 billion and $3.3...
- The figures encompass fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and uncrewed aircraft recorded since February 28, drawing from Pentagon records, US Central Command statements, military inspector general findings, and press accounts.
- The documented losses include several of the Pentagon's most-prized assets.
The United States military has lost or sustained damage to at least 81 aircraft during military operations against Iran, resulting in costs estimated between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service.
The figures encompass fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and uncrewed aircraft recorded since February 28, drawing from Pentagon records, US Central Command statements, military inspector general findings, and press accounts.
Advanced Fighters and Reconnaissance Aircraft Affected
The documented losses include several of the Pentagon’s most-prized assets. Among them is an F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter that sustained damage when it came under fire from Iran on March 19, alongside 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters. Three of the F-15 jets were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, and another was shot down over Iran on April 5. Eight additional F-15Es sustained light damage during an Iranian missile strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September before being returned to service.
The catalog of damage also comprises two A-10 attack aircraft—including one destroyed after being hit by gunfire in April and another severely damaged during the September strikes in Jordan—as well as seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft, one E-3 Sentry spy plane, and two MC-130J special operations aircraft. Helicopter forces suffered hits as well, including one AH-64 Apache, four AH-6 Little Birds, one MH-60 Sea Hawk, and one HH-60W search-and-rescue helicopter that was damaged during an operation to locate the crew of an F-15E shot down over Iran.
Heavy Toll on Drones and Congressional Inquiries
Uncrewed platforms accounted for more than half of the total losses, led by at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones. The reduction in the Reaper fleet lowered the available total to 135 aircraft, falling short of the 189 deployable Reapers the service is supposed to maintain. Other unmanned losses include three MQ-1 drones downed by Iran and one MQ-4C Triton lost in a flight crash.
The Congressional Research Service report, titled “US Aircraft Combat Damage in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress,” questions whether lawmakers are receiving sufficient information from the Pentagon regarding the losses and their operational effects. Congress may assess whether losses in certain high-demand platforms that are aging and limited in number, such as the E-3 Sentry, create capability gaps or increase risk in other theaters,
the report states.