US-Iran War: American casualties double - 81 aircraft knocked out and billions in military costs

A new US Congressional report reveals the growing cost of Operation "Epic Fury." From F-15s and F-35s to MQ-9 Reapers, losses spark concern in Washington, while the true scale of Iranian destruction remains unclear. Significantly larger than initial estimates, the cost of US air operations against Iran is coming to light, as a new report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) records 81 military aircraft, helicopters, and drones destroyed, lost, or damaged since the launch of Operation "Epic Fury" on February 28, 2026. The figure is nearly double the 42 aircraft recorded in May's report, reflecting the growing strain on American forces from the prolonged conflict.

Aircraft costs

$1.9–3.3 billion
Equipment replacement estimate

Military costs

$38 billion
Through August 1, 2026

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the cost of US military operations against Iran had reached approximately $38 billion through August 1, 2026. The total encompasses munitions and equipment replacement, increased flight hours, fuel, and other operational expenditures. The cost of replacing or repairing lost or damaged military hardware alone is estimated between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion. The CBO also warns that the conflict is depleting US air defense missile stockpiles, exerting pressure on American military readiness across other potential theaters.

F-15s, F-35s, and AWACS on the casualty list

Special concern stems from recorded damage to some of the most critical American aviation systems. The revised report includes 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, compared to four originally listed. Three were destroyed on March 2 in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait, while another was shot down over Iran in April. The remaining eight reportedly sustained minor damage during an Iranian strike on Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in September, subsequently returning to operational status. The list also includes a fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighter jet, which public disclosures indicate suffered damage from Iranian fire. Particular weight is attached to an E-3 Sentry AWACS early warning aircraft damaged at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The loss or prolonged incapacitation of such an asset carries a disproportionately high operational impact, as these specialized systems exist in limited numbers and remain vital for airspace surveillance and air battle management. The CRS notes that such losses risk creating capability gaps even in other areas of strategic interest, such as the Western Pacific.

MQ-9 Reaper drones suffer heaviest attrition

The most significant surge in the American casualty count involves unmanned aerial vehicles. The report records 45 MQ-9 Reaper losses, up from 24 in the previous May tally. These large unmanned platforms perform critical surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike missions. The figures demonstrate that drones represent one of the most exposed categories of American aviation assets in this conflict. Other recorded losses include KC-135 aerial refueling tankers, A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, AH-64 Apache helicopters, and MC-130J special operations aircraft. This picture underscores that even an air force possessing substantial technological superiority is not immune to heavy losses, particularly when operating over an extended duration against missile strikes, drones, and integrated air defense networks.

Iranian losses from US-Israeli strikes

Destruction suffered by the Iranian armed forces appears correspondingly extensive. However, Iran has not published a comprehensive or independently verifiable accounting of its losses. Open-source estimates display wide discrepancies; some tallies place Iranian aircraft losses above 90, while stricter inventories of documented incidents limit the figure to roughly 43. The variation stems primarily from differing verification criteria applied across sources. According to reports by the EurAsian Times, during the opening days of the conflict US and Israeli forces executed strikes on Iranian air bases, destroying fighters, transports, and other military aircraft predominantly on the ground. Reported types include F-4 Phantom IIs, F-5s, Su-22s, Su-24s, C-130 Hercules, Il-76s, and F-14 Tomcats. Strikes targeting Iranian F-14s—a fighter type Iran has maintained since before the 1979 Islamic Revolution—received widespread attention. Initial estimates suggested the F-14 fleet had been completely wiped out; however, subsequent imagery and intelligence failed to confirm that assertion.

The sinking of the frigate IRIS Dena

One of the most defining incidents of the war was the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena on March 4, 2026, in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka. According to the US Department of Defense, the warship was struck by the American submarine USS Charlotte utilizing a Mark 48 torpedo. The frigate was returning from an international naval event in India when it came under attack. Sri Lankan authorities rescued 32 sailors, while Iran later announced that fatalities reached 104. The sinking represented one of the heaviest blows delivered against the Iranian Navy, demonstrating the capability of US submarines to strike at great distances from the primary conflict zone. Concurrently, the US claimed to have destroyed at least 17 Iranian warships during the initial days of operations, though total naval losses remain subject to verification.

Strikes on Iranian air defenses and missile arsenals

US and Israeli forces also targeted air defense installations and ballistic missile infrastructure. Reports cite the destruction of S-300, Bavar-373, and Khordad-15 systems, alongside missile storage and launch facilities. The Israeli Air Force announced extensive strikes against dozens of military targets, primarily concentrated in the Tabriz and Kermanshah regions. However, reports of destroyed launchers and air defense batteries are insufficient on their own to calculate the precise percentage of Iran's arsenal permanently rendered inoperable. Especially regarding mobile launchers, the destruction of a facility does not automatically mean the weapon system was present at the moment of impact.

The strategic weight of attritional losses

Losses sustained by the US and Iran are not directly comparable, as both sides possess fundamentally different military capabilities, equipment types, and industrial capacity for replacing material losses. For the United States, the challenge extends beyond the financial cost of replacing an aircraft. It involves the lead time required to manufacture new units, spare parts availability, aircrew training pipelines, and the capacity to maintain high operational readiness across multiple fronts. The CBO has specifically warned of depleted interceptor missile stockpiles, pointing out that replenishment could require several years. For Iran, conversely, consequences center on preserving remaining air and naval capabilities, but above all on sustaining its missile and drone strike capacity. The fact that a state suffers extensive military destruction does not necessarily mean it forfeits all capacity to threaten its adversary. This stands as one of the primary takeaways emerging from the prolonged conflict. Despite extensive US and Israeli strikes, insufficient public evidence exists to prove the total elimination of Iranian missile or military capabilities. Simultaneously, the US faces escalating financial and operational costs. The war demonstrates that military superiority can inflict immense damage on an opponent, but does not automatically guarantee a rapid, low-cost, or definitive strategic victory. The US Congressional report highlights precisely this dimension: behind the aircraft casualty numbers lie the endurance of the American defense industrial base, the availability of critical weapons systems, and Washington's capacity to manage a protracted conflict without undermining other strategic priorities.

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