U.S. Military Lost or Damaged 81 Aircraft Worth Up to $3.3 Billion in Iran War, Report Says

By garrisonvance // 2026-10-09

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At least 81 U.S. military aircraft have been lost or damaged since the war with Iran began, with losses totaling as much as $3.3 billion, according to a Congressional Research Service report released Oct. 5. The tally was compiled from statements by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the Pentagon Inspector General and news reports, and the report's authors noted the number of aircraft "may remain subject to revision due to multiple factors" [1]. The losses include some of America's most advanced warplanes, including one damaged F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter and 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters that have been destroyed or damaged, according to the report [2]. The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The report, updated Oct. 5, drew on military statements, news reports and findings from the Defense Department's inspector general [3].

Fixed-Wing Losses Include F-15Es, F-35A, A-10s and E-3 Sentry

Twelve F-15E Strike Eagles were destroyed or damaged. Three were shot down in friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, and another was shot down over Iran the following month [4]. One F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter was damaged when it came under fire from Iran on March 19. The disclosures come as the financial cost of the war, which began Feb. 28 with coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes, rises.

Drone Losses Led by 45 MQ-9 Reapers, Fleet Below Requirement

At least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones were lost, with each estimated to be worth between $30 million and $50 million, according to the report. The Reaper, used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support and combat search and rescue, accounted for more than half of the losses [5]. The scale of the Reaper losses tracks with earlier independent reporting: Iran destroyed approximately $1 billion worth of U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones during the conflict, according to a Bloomberg report published May 21, representing roughly 20 percent of the Pentagon's pre-war inventory of unmanned aerial vehicles [6]. The drone losses have forced the Air Force to look at alternatives. The service more than doubled the value of its contract with DZYNE Technologies, now part of Ondas, for long-endurance surveillance drones that could complement the MQ-9 Reaper and help fill intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission gaps following the reported heavy losses in the U.S.-Iran conflict [7]. The seizure of a U.S. Navy Dive-LD uncrewed underwater vehicle by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz in September also handed Tehran a rare opportunity to study and potentially reverse-engineer a sophisticated undersea surveillance asset, a setback for the Pentagon and drone maker Anduril [8][9].

CENTCOM Estimates War Cost at $43.6 Billion

U.S. Central Command estimated last month that the total cost of the war in Iran had grown to $43.6 billion — a $5 billion increase from August. Weapons costs also jumped by more than $6 billion in just over a month, from $21.7 billion listed in the latest Congressional Budget Office report to $28.1 billion in the latest figures, according to the report. The Congressional Research Service report attributed the aircraft loss figures to its analysis of available data. The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment, officials said. The Congressional Research Service published a similar report in May that put the number of lost or damaged aircraft lower, reflecting the accumulating toll of a conflict that has now run more than seven months since U.S. and Israeli forces commenced military strikes on Feb. 28.

Report Details Aircraft Losses as War Costs Rise

The Congressional Research Service report lists 81 U.S. military aircraft lost or damaged in the Iran war, valued at up to $3.3 billion. CENTCOM's $43.6 billion war cost estimate and the weapons cost increase were provided in the report. No immediate comment was issued by the White House or the Pentagon, according to the report. The report's authors said the tally was compiled from statements by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the Pentagon Inspector General and news reports, and that the "number of aircraft may remain subject to revision due to multiple factors" [1].

References

Report Details 81 US Aircraft Lost or Damaged in Iran War. https://news.antiwar.com/2026/10/07/report-details-81-us-aircraft-lost-or-damaged-in-iran-war/
US military has lost 81 planes, drones and helicopters .... https://nypost.com/2026/10/06/us-news/us-military-has-lost-81-planes-drones-and-helicopters-worth-3-3-billion-in-iran-war-report/
Report lists 81 US aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/us-aircraft-losses-iran-operations-congressional-report
US Military Lost 81 Aircraft in Iran War: Full CRS Breakdown. https://www.fact.net.in/special-reports/iran-war-cost-us-military-81-aircraft-losses-heres-the-full-list
US has lost or sustained damage to 81 military aircraft worth... | CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/08/middleeast/us-iran-war-aircraft-losses-intl-hnk-ml
The End of Air Supremacy Why Iran War Proves Drones Can Be Stopped - NaturalNews.com, May 28, 2026 by NaturalNews.com
USAF More Than Doubles Ondas' ULTRA Drone Contract As Potential MQ-9 Reaper Alternative Emerges. https://www.zerohedge.com/military/usaf-more-doubles-ondas-units-ultra-drone-contract-potential-mq-9-reaper-alternative
Underwater drone capture gives Tehran opportunity to reverse engineer vessel. https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/underwater-drone-capture-gives-tehran-opportunity-reverse-engineer
Everything We Know About The U.S. Navy’s Submersible Drone Iran Just Captured. https://www.twz.com/sea/everything-we-know-about-the-u-s-navys-submersible-drone-iran-just-captured

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