US Aircraft Losses Reach 81 in Iran War, Congressional Report Finds

US vs IRAN – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – US aircraft losses in the war with Iran have now reached 81, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The report came out on Monday. It counts every US military aircraft damaged or destroyed since February 28.

That was the day the United States and Israel began military strikes on Iran. Since then, the US air fleet has taken heavy hits.

The report names several types of aircraft. It lists 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets and two A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes. Seven KC-135 tankers were also hit.

The list also includes one E-3 Sentry, an early warning aircraft, and one MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone. The biggest number belongs to the MQ-9 Reaper drone, with 45 damaged or destroyed.

Those named types add up to 68 aircraft. The report says the total includes others as well, so the remaining 13 were not named in the details shared.

The CRS pulled its numbers from several places. These include news reports, the Department of Defense, US Central Command and the DoD inspector general.

Congress now has a big decision to make. Lawmakers are looking at funding requests to repair or replace the damaged aircraft. That money could be large.

The report says Congress will also use these losses to understand the risks of the war. It will study the threat from enemy firepower and the dangers of the combat zone.

Lawmakers may also ask whether changes are needed. The report points to US equipment, battle tactics and the way troops and planes are placed at bases.

This is not the first official look at the damage. On September 14, the Pentagon’s oversight body released its own report. It was the first official count of US losses during the war.

That report said the war caused serious damage to US bases and diplomatic sites in the Middle East. At least hundreds of buildings and other facilities were hit. More than 50 US aircraft were damaged or destroyed.

The Pentagon report covered the time from February 28 to June 30. The new CRS report adds to that picture with a higher total of 81 aircraft.

Money is another worry. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Department of Defense spent about $38 billion on the Iran war. That figure covers the five months that ended on August 1.

Put together, the reports show a war that is costly in both equipment and cash. The number of drones lost stands out, and the fighter jets and tankers lost are a concern too.

For now, the next step belongs to Congress. Lawmakers must decide how much to spend on repairs and new aircraft, and whether the military needs to change its approach in the region.