The findings come from a report by the Congressional Research Service released on May 13. It covers losses linked to “Operation Epic Fury”.
The report is the first government-backed assessment to put a full figure on aircraft losses during the conflict. It draws on a mix of Pentagon information and media reporting, and notes that final numbers may change as more data becomes available.
Heavy losses across key fleets
According to the report, the US Air Force and Navy lost a wide range of aircraft, including fighter jets, refuelling tankers, surveillance planes and drones.
Among the most significant losses was the MQ-9A Reaper drone fleet, with 24 units destroyed or lost in combat. The MQ-9A is widely used for surveillance and strike missions, but its high cost and vulnerability in contested airspace have long been debated.
The report also records losses among KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, F-15E strike fighters, A-10C ground attack jets, F-35A stealth fighters, E-3 Sentry airborne warning aircraft, and MC-130J special operations transports.
One E-3 AWACS aircraft was destroyed on the ground in an Iranian strike, with no immediate replacement available. The loss has been flagged as a major concern due to the limited number of such platforms in service.
The report estimates that each MQ-9A drone costs over $56 million. It also notes that seven KC-135 tankers were destroyed or severely damaged during the campaign, including one incident involving a mid-air collision over Iraq that killed six US Air Force personnel.
Another five tankers were reportedly destroyed in a ground strike, though the US Department of Defence has not confirmed all of the reported cases. The Congressional report says it is still unclear whether all losses have been fully accounted for in official Pentagon records.
The report concludes that the total figure of 42 aircraft includes both destroyed and heavily damaged airframes, and warns that some details may still be revised as further assessments are completed.
