U.S. Aircraft Losses in Iran Rise

PHOTO CAPTION: A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle takes off for a mission during Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East, March 9, 2026. A revised Congressional Research Service report now lists 81 U.S. fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and drones as reportedly lost or damaged in operations against Iran since Feb. 28. U.S. Air Force photo via U.S. Central Command.

A revised congressional report now lists 81 U.S. military aircraft as reportedly lost or damaged during operations against Iran, nearly doubling the 42 aircraft identified in an earlier version of the report this spring.
The Congressional Research Service updated its report, U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress, on Oct. 5.
USNI News published the revised findings Tuesday morning.
The new tally covers fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aircraft systems reportedly lost or damaged since U.S. operations against Iran began Feb. 28.
The number is a significant increase from the previous CRS report released in May, which listed 42 aircraft.
That earlier tally included aircraft lost to enemy action, friendly fire, accidents and strikes on U.S. bases, along with aircraft that were damaged but not necessarily destroyed.
Among the losses documented at the time were F-15E Strike Eagles, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, KC-135 Stratotankers and dozens of unmanned aircraft.
An F-35A Lightning II was also damaged after taking enemy fire over Iran.
The earlier report additionally documented damage involving an E-3 airborne warning aircraft and an HH-60W combat rescue helicopter.
Drones accounted for the majority of the May tally, including 24 MQ-9 Reapers and an MQ-4C Triton.
The revised Oct. 5 report raises the overall number of aircraft reportedly lost or damaged to 81.
That is 39 more aircraft than were listed in May, an increase of roughly 93%.
But the new total should not be read as 81 aircraft being completely destroyed.
CRS specifically warns that the tally combines aircraft that were lost with aircraft that sustained damage.
Some of the damaged aircraft may have since been repaired and returned to active service.
The number could also continue to change because of classification, continuing combat operations and uncertainty surrounding individual incidents.
The report was compiled using Defense Department and U.S. Central Command statements, Defense Department Inspector General reporting and publicly available news reports.
CRS does not have access to classified military damage assessments.
The increase also does not necessarily mean the original 42-aircraft count was wrong.
The May report covered losses known at the time. Military operations continued after an April ceasefire reduced the pace of combat, and additional information about earlier and later losses has become public since then.
The cost of replacing equipment lost during the conflict is also substantial.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated in September that replacing equipment lost in battle through Aug. 1 could cost between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, depending on how the Pentagon chooses to replace it.
That estimate covers equipment losses more broadly, not just aircraft.
CBO separately estimated that Defense Department operations, logistics, replacement of expended munitions and lost equipment, increased flying hours and other costs associated with the Iran conflict had reached approximately $38 billion as of Aug. 1.
Aircraft attrition has been one of the most visible costs of the campaign.
Three F-15Es were mistakenly shot down by a Kuwaiti fighter during the opening days of the war. A fourth F-15E was later shot down over Iran.
Seven KC-135 tankers were damaged or destroyed in separate incidents during the early weeks of combat.
The Air Force also lost an A-10 after it was damaged during a combat search-and-rescue mission, while two MC-130J special operations aircraft were destroyed on the ground during a rescue operation inside Iran.
Unmanned aircraft suffered the heaviest losses in the initial CRS accounting.
The Pentagon still has not released one comprehensive public assessment detailing every U.S. aircraft lost or damaged during the conflict.
For now, the Congressional Research Service's revised open-source tally stands at 81 aircraft lost or damaged since Feb. 28, nearly twice the number it listed five months ago.