A report by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) says at least 42 American military aircraft were lost or damaged during the war in Iran, including advanced fighter jets, surveillance aircraft and uncrewed systems.
The report notes that the figure could rise further because combat operations are ongoing, some incidents remain classified, and attribution assessments are still underway.
The disclosure comes as the Pentagon estimates that military operations against Iran under Operation Epic Fury have already cost nearly $29 billion.
During a hearing on May 12, Pentagon finance chief Jules Hurst III said much of the increase reflected updated calculations for repairing or replacing damaged equipment.According to the CRS report, the aircraft confirmed as lost or damaged include:
Four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II, one A-10 Thunderbolt II, seven KC-135 Stratotanker tankers, one E-3 Sentry, two MC-130J Commando II, one HH-60W Jolly Green II, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton.
The US Department of Defence has not released a consolidated assessment of combat losses.
The CRS, which provides legal and policy analysis to the US Congress, compiled its figures using media reports and official statements from the Department of Defence and United States Central Command.
The war began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets.The report says the attacks killed several senior Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi shared the CRS report on X and said Iran had gained significant experience during two months of combat before a ceasefire in April.
He said Iran’s armed forces had learned important lessons and warned that Tehran would deliver “many more surprises” if President Donald Trump resumed military action against the Islamic Republic.
Araghchi also claimed that Iran had become the first country to shoot down an F-35 in combat, referring to the reported damage to a US stealth fighter.
The number of aircraft damaged or destroyed may remain subject to revision due to multiple factors, including classification, ongoing combat activity, and attribution, said the report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
The aircraft losses and damages include four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, one A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft, one E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft, one HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton drone.
The CRS, which provides policy and legal analysis to the US Congress and committees, compiled the losses by perusing news reports and statements by the Department of Defence and the US Central Command.
During a hearing of the House Appropriations subcommittee on May 12, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W Hurst III testified that the department's cost estimate for military operations in Iran has increased to USD 29 billion.
"A lot of that increase comes from having a refined estimate on repair or replacement costs for equipment," he said.