US lost 42 aircrafts, including fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper drones in Iran war, says report

The US lost or damaged at least 42 aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, during Operation Epic Fury launched against Iran on February 28, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

The report stated that the number of aircraft damaged or destroyed could be revised because of factors such as classification, ongoing combat activity and attribution.

The reported losses and damage included four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, one A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft, one E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft, one HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton drone.

The CRS, which provides policy and legal analysis to the US Congress and its committees, said it compiled the data after reviewing news reports and statements issued by the Department of Defence and the US Central Command.

The report comes amid growing scrutiny over the financial cost of military operations in Iran. During a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on May 12, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W. Hurst III said the estimated cost of operations had increased sharply.

“A lot of that increase comes from having a refined estimate on repair or replacement costs for equipment,” he said.

According to Hurst, the Department of Defence’s estimated cost of military operations in Iran has risen to $29 billion.