WEB DESK: A revised Congressional Research Service report says 81 US aircraft have been destroyed or damaged since the Iran war began on February 28, 2026nearly twice the 42 reported in May.
The October 5 update covers fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and drones. MQ-9 Reapers account for 45 of the losses. Other damaged aircraft include an F-35A struck by Iranian ground fire on March 19 and an E-3 Sentry hit at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base.
The report estimates replacement costs could range from $1.9 million to $3.3 billion, depending on how the aircraft are replaced. Separately, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the war had cost about $38 billion through August 1. The White House has sought $87.6 billion in emergency funding, which Congress has not approved.
The deadliest incident cited was a March 12 KC-135 crash in western Iraq that killed all six crew members. On July 1, Navy commander Gabriel Edwards died when an MH-60S Sea Hawk went down in the Arabian Sea.
