U.S. lost 42 aircraft, including fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper drones in Iran war: report

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A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle craft  takes disconnected  for a ngo  supporting Operation Epic Fury during the Iran warfare  astatine  an undisclosed determination  connected  March 9, 2026.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle craft takes disconnected for a ngo supporting Operation Epic Fury during the Iran warfare astatine an undisclosed determination connected March 9, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters

At slightest 42 U.S. aircraft, including combatant jets and drones, were mislaid oregon damaged during Operation Epic Fury launched connected February 28 targeting Iran, according to an authoritative report.

The fig of craft damaged oregon destroyed whitethorn stay taxable to revision owed to aggregate factors, including classification, ongoing combat activity, and attribution, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) study said.

The craft losses and damages see 4 F-15E Strike Eagle combatant jets, 1 F-35A Lightning II combatant aircraft, 1 A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, 7 KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft, 1 E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, 2 MC-130J Commando II peculiar operations aircraft, 1 HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and 1 MQ-4C Triton drone.

The CRS, which provides argumentation and ineligible investigation to the U.S. Congress and committees, compiled the losses by perusing quality reports and statements by the Department of Defence and the U.S. Central Command.

During a proceeding of the House Appropriations subcommittee connected May 12, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W Hurst III testified that the department’s outgo estimation for subject operations successful Iran has accrued to $29 billion.

“A batch of that summation comes from having a refined estimation connected repair oregon replacement costs for equipment,” helium said.

Published - May 20, 2026 05:03 p.m. IST

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