US military has lost 81 aircraft in Iran war according to Congressional report
The total cost of the aircraft lost since February is between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion. Among the aircraft lost are some of the most advanced weapons in the US arsenal, including the F-35A.
A Congressional Research Service report revealed that the US military has lost 81 aircraft during the Iran conflict. Among the casualties are advanced weapons like the F-35A fighter jet and the E-3 Sentry. Over half of the losses were incurred by MQ-9 Reaper drones, primarily utilized for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
The total cost of the lost aircraft has been estimated between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, according to figures from the Congressional Budget Office. US Central Command had previously estimated that the ongoing war with Iran has cost the US roughly $44 billion in September, though this figure did not include infrastructure damage at US bases in the Middle East.
Senator Jacky Rose of Nevada criticized the Pentagon for being unwilling to provide Congress with transparent information regarding the war's cost and the National Defense Strategy. Another senator, Chris Murphy, reported that the US Defense Department denied him access to a key military base in Qatar, alleging a US government effort to conceal the war's impact from Congress and the American people.
According to analysts, the Middle East conflicts, including the Iran war and confrontations with Iran's proxies, have affected the MQ-9 Reaper drones. The Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, referred to the MQ-9 as the "most valuable player" in the Iran war. The military has lost 45 of the 135 MQ-9 drones in the Middle East alone, a rate described as "alarming" by the Atlantic Council. This aircraft loss rate is unprecedented since Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
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