Report: 81 U.S. Military Aircraft Destroyed or Damaged in Iran Conflict, Replacement Costs Up to $3.3 Billion

A Congressional Research Service report released this week states that 81 U.S. military aircraft were destroyed or damaged during the conflict with Iran. The affected platforms include fixed-wing planes, helicopters, and drones. More than half of the recorded losses involved the MQ-9 Reaper, a drone widely used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, close air support, and combat search and rescue. Among the damaged or destroyed assets were costly specialized Pentagon systems, such as an F-35A stealth fighter and an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, known for its large rotodome radar that supports airspace management and target tracking. According to Congressional Budget Office estimates cited in the report, replacing or repairing the lost platforms would cost between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, depending on the Defense Department's approach. The conflict's larger financial burden is much greater, with total operational spending estimated at $45 billion. That amount does not include structural damage to U.S. regional bases, where several aircraft losses occurred. Some aircraft counted in the total have already returned to service, including eight F-15 Strike Eagle fighters that suffered minor damage during an Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September. The CRS based its report on official disclosures from the Department of Defense, the Office of the Inspector General, and U.S. Central Command, as well as verified news accounts. The report raises several oversight issues for lawmakers, including whether the Pentagon is providing enough detail about losses to properly judge operational effects and develop fixes. Defense reporting on equipment losses in the region has generally been aggregated, and a September Inspector General report on military actions from February 28 through June 30 relied partly on earlier CRS data. Congress also needs to consider possible supplemental appropriations for repairs and purchases, assess the domestic industrial base's ability to meet replacement needs, and evaluate broader consequences for foreign military sales. The analysis further warns about U.S. strategic posture beyond the Middle East, saying that attrition among low-density, aging, high-demand fleets such as the E-3 Sentry could leave gaps in air dominance and surveillance coverage in other theaters. Defense analysts said ongoing operations in the region, including the Iran conflict and earlier fighting against Houthi forces in Yemen, have heavily depleted the MQ-9 Reaper fleet. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach has previously told lawmakers that the platform is a key operational asset in the region. Forty-five MQ-9 units have been lost in the Middle East this year alone, adding to a cumulative loss of roughly 35 percent of the Air Force's total Reaper inventory since 2004.