From Reapers To F-15s: How Over 81 US Aircraft Were Lost Or Damaged In Iran

The US military has had 81 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, including drones, reportedly lost or damaged during its operations against Iran since February 28, according to a Congressional Research Service report updated Monday. The report said the number could change because of classification issues, continuing combat activity and uncertainty over attribution.

The CRS assessment combines information from US defence officials and Central Command, the Department of Defense Inspector General and publicly reported incidents. It does not mean all 81 aircraft were destroyed by Iranian forces: the list also includes losses caused by friendly fire and operational mishaps.

Major Losses

Drones account for a substantial share of the reported losses. The CRS lists 45 MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft among those lost in operations against Iran, making it the largest category in the report.

The assessment also lists 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft. Three were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, while another was destroyed over Iran on April 5. Eight more F-15Es were reported damaged in an Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September, although those aircraft were subsequently returned to service, according to the report.

The list includes seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft. Two were involved in an incident over Iraq in March, with one crashing and the other making an emergency landing, while five were reported damaged during an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Other aircraft listed include an F-35A, two A-10 attack aircraft, an E-3 Sentry airborne early-warning aircraft, two MC-130J special operations aircraft, helicopters including an AH-64 Apache and four AH-6 Little Birds, and an MH-60 Seahawk.

Official Assessment

The Department of Defense Inspector General’s first Lead Inspector General report on Operation Epic Fury, published in September, assessed US equipment losses during the April-June reporting period. The report covered the US government’s military and other activities in support of the operation and provided oversight to Congress.

CENTCOM describes Operation Epic Fury as a campaign ordered by President Donald Trump to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus and target locations it considers an imminent threat.

The CRS report said the reported aircraft losses raise questions for Congress over military readiness, replacement costs, industrial capacity and whether changes in Iran’s capabilities require adjustments to US tactics, equipment or basing.

Financial Cost

The wider financial burden of the war has also been significant. The Congressional Budget Office estimated in September that US Department of Defense costs had reached about $38 billion as of August 1, including the cost of replacing equipment lost in battle, expended munitions, increased flying hours and other operational expenses.

The CBO said those costs would continue to rise while fighting persisted, with monthly expenses potentially increasing sharply if the intensity of combat rose.

The CRS stressed that its 81-aircraft figure remains an evolving estimate, making it a snapshot of reported losses and damage rather than a final accounting of US aircraft casualties during the Iran conflict.