United States military forces have lost or suffered critical damage to a total of 81 combat aircraft, reconnaissance drones, and helicopters valued at $3.3 billion over the past eight months of military engagements linked to Iran, according to an unclassified Congressional Research Service (CRS) investigation.
The comprehensive tally was formally submitted to the US Congress on October 5, 2026. The documented equipment losses include 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, one F-35A Lightning II stealth jet, two A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, and 45 MQ-9 Reaper surveillance and strike drones. Key operational incidents cited in the report include a March 2 friendly-fire incident over Kuwait that brought down three F-15Es, combat losses over Iranian airspace in April, and targeted strikes on Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in September. Non-fixed-wing and support aircraft losses include seven KC-135 Stratotankers, an E-3 Sentry AWACS airborne command aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II special operations transport planes, an AH-64 Apache, four AH-6 Little Birds, and an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter. The conflict officially escalated when US forces launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, before Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared its military phase concluded in June, transitioning into the economic enforcement phase known as Operation Economic Outcast in August.
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Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
