US has lost or damaged 81 aircraft in Iran war, Congress report says

The United States has lost or suffered damage to 81 military aircraft in its war with Iran, according to an updated report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), nearly double the 42 it recorded in May.

The October 5 revision covers fixed-wing planes, helicopters and drones lost or damaged since Operation Epic Fury began with coordinated US-Israeli strikes on February 28, Geo News reported. The CRS noted that the count may still change because of classification, ongoing combat and questions of attribution.

Drones take the heaviest losses

Uncrewed aircraft make up the bulk of the list. According to the report, as summarised by The Express Tribune and Geo News:

• 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones were destroyed, more than half of all losses. As of May, the US Air Force had 135 Reapers, down from 351 in 2022.
• 3 MQ-1 drones were downed, and one MQ-4C Triton crashed in a mishap.
• 12 F-15E Strike Eagles were affected, including three destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait, one downed over Iran and eight lightly damaged in an Iranian missile strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
• An F-35A fighter was damaged by Iranian ground fire on March 19, and two A-10 attack jets were lost or heavily damaged.
• 7 KC-135 tankers were affected, including one that crashed in western Iraq on March 12, killing all six crew, and five reportedly damaged on the ground in Saudi Arabia.
• An E-3 Sentry early warning aircraft was hit at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
• Two MC-130J transports were deliberately destroyed during a rescue mission, and seven helicopters, including Apaches and Little Birds, were lost or damaged.

A Navy squadron commander, Cmdr Gabriel Edwards, was lost when an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter went down in the Arabian Sea on July 1.

Mounting cost

The Congressional Budget Office has put the cost of replacing lost hardware at up to $3.3 billion. A Lead Inspector General report in September estimated total campaign costs at $33.4bn through late June, including $3.7bn in equipment losses, while the CBO has estimated the war’s overall cost at about $38bn through August 1. The White House has asked Congress for $87.6bn in emergency funding, which has not been approved.

Iran: ‘Real toll is far higher’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi seized on the report. “In May, the Congressional Research Service admitted that Iran’s Armed Forces had taken out 42 US military aircraft. Now: 81,” he wrote on X. “Real toll is far higher.”

Araghchi also questioned why US Central Command would not let a sitting senator inspect bases it says are in good condition. “Proof? CENTCOM won’t let a sitting Senator inspect bases it claims are fine,” he wrote.

Why it matters

The figures come as Washington weighs its next steps in the seven-month war. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he expects the war to end “very soon”, while media reports say the Pentagon has been asked to prepare options for fresh strikes on Iran.

This article draws on reporting by Geo News and The Express Tribune.