At least 81 US military aircraft, including fighter jets, refueling tankers and helicopters, have been destroyed during operations against Iran since late February, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.
The report, updated on October 5, includes fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and unmanned systems such as drones. However, CRS noted that the figure could change due to classification issues, ongoing combat operations and continued aircraft losses. Some aircraft listed as damaged may also have returned to service.
Among the losses are 12 F-15E Strike Eagles. CRS said three were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March, while another was destroyed over Iran in April.
Eight other F-15s were later lightly damaged during an Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September but subsequently returned to service, according to reports cited in the CRS document.
The reported losses and damage also include an F-35A Lightning II, two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, seven KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft and an E-3 Sentry airborne warning-and-control aircraft.
CRS also identified losses involving two MC-130J special operations aircraft, an HH-60W combat search-and-rescue helicopter, an MQ-4C Triton drone and three MQ-1 unmanned aircraft.
The helicopter losses reportedly include an AH-64 Apache shot down over the Strait of Hormuz, four AH-6 Little Birds destroyed during rescue missions and an MH-60 Sea Hawk that crashed over the Arabian Sea.
The report said the scale of the losses could raise several questions for congressional oversight, including whether the Pentagon has sufficient information and funding to replace damaged or destroyed aircraft.
It also raised concerns about the loss of scarce and ageing aircraft such as the E-3, warning that their removal could create capability gaps in other areas of US military operations.
CRS further pointed to possible pressure on the US defence industrial base, noting that production capacity, supply-chain constraints and competing demands, including foreign military sales, could determine how quickly the Pentagon is able to replace the aircraft lost during the operations.
