US Air Fleet Suffers Major Losses in Iran War, Report Finds
A government analysis reveals at least 81 aircraft lost or damaged, raising concerns about military readiness and replenishment capabilities.
The U.S. military has lost or sustained damage to at least 81 aircraft during the war with Iran, a figure that has nearly doubled since a previous assessment five months ago, according to a new government analysis. The Congressional Research Service (CRS), a nonpartisan arm of the Library of Congress, detailed these losses in a report that also warns replacing critical vehicles could strain the military's ability to meet demands elsewhere.
The aircraft affected include advanced fighters, crucial support planes, and dozens of drones. The tally is nearly double the 42 aircraft CRS identified in May, though the increase is partly attributed to more information becoming publicly available and does not necessarily mean all additional aircraft were lost or damaged since that earlier assessment.
Among the identified losses and damages are 12 F-15E Strike Eagles, an F-35A Lightning II, seven KC-135 refueling tankers, an E-3 Sentry airborne warning-and-control aircraft, and 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones. The report noted that losses among aging, high-demand aircraft could create capability gaps or increase risks in other operational theaters, while production constraints and competing demands might affect the speed of military capacity rebuilding.
The 81 aircraft were lost or damaged through various means, including Iranian attacks, enemy fire, friendly fire, accidents, and aircraft deliberately destroyed during rescue operations. Some damaged aircraft have since returned to service. A Department of War official stated they do not comment on reports from outside organizations.
The CRS cautioned that the tally could continue to change due to classification, ongoing combat operations, and questions of attribution.
This updated accounting comes more than eight months into a conflict that has already strained U.S. weapons stockpiles. A Pentagon inspector general report last month indicated that the U.S. had spent an estimated $22.3 billion on munitions through June alone and warned of "strategic inventory shortfalls."
The Congressional Budget Office estimated in September that replacing equipment lost through August 1 could cost between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, depending on the Department of War's replacement plans. Drones constitute more than half of the aircraft in the latest tally, with at least 45 MQ-9 Reapers lost, alongside three MQ-1 drones and an MQ-4C Triton.
However, the report highlights losses and damage among scarcer, harder-to-replace aircraft. An E-3 Sentry, damaged in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in March, was specifically flagged by CRS as an example of how losses among high-demand aircraft could impact U.S. forces in other theaters.
Iranian attacks have also damaged U.S. aircraft while on the ground. Five KC-135 tankers were reportedly damaged at Prince Sultan Air Base in March, and eight F-15Es sustained light damage during an Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September; these eight fighters were subsequently returned to service.
At least 18 U.S. service members have died since the war began, with the Pentagon categorizing these deaths between Operation Epic Fury and renewed fighting that commenced in July.
Other losses underscore the risks associated with recovery operations. Two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft were intentionally destroyed while supporting rescue efforts for the crew of a downed F-15E. Additionally, an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter was damaged during the same rescue attempt. Four AH-6 Little Bird helicopters were later destroyed by U.S. forces during separate rescue operations.
Three F-15Es were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait in the early days of the war, and an F-35A was later damaged by Iranian ground fire over Iran.
The CRS report suggests these losses could prompt Congress to examine the capacity of the U.S. industrial base to replace aircraft quickly enough to meet military requirements. It also raises broader operational questions regarding whether the losses indicate changes in Iran's capabilities that necessitate adjustments to U.S. equipment, tactics, or basing posture.
