Congressional Report: US Aircraft Losses in Iran War Reach 81, Cost Up to $3.3 Billion

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in an updated report dated October 5, 2026, that 81 US fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aircraft have been lost or damaged since the United States launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28. That figure is nearly double the 42 aircraft the same office counted in a May 2026 report.

What the updated count includes

According to CRS figures reported by Military Times, the October tally includes 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, up to 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, seven KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft, seven helicopters, two A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets and one F-35A Lightning II fighter. The CRS said it compiled the list from Defense Department and US Central Command statements, a Pentagon inspector general report, congressional testimony and news accounts.

The Aviationist, which reviewed the original May report, noted gaps in that earlier tally: it listed only one E-3 Sentry as damaged when the outlet said at least one E-3 was destroyed, and it omitted between two and four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters deliberately destroyed during a pilot rescue operation. The CRS itself cautions that the count can change as more information becomes available, and that some damaged aircraft may have since returned to service, according to Stars and Stripes.

Cost estimates differ depending on the measure

The CRS report cites a September 2026 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate that puts the cost of the lost and damaged aircraft, as of August 1, 2026, at between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, with the range depending on how the Defense Department plans to replace the equipment, Military Times reported.

That equipment figure is separate from the overall cost of the operation. Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst had put the total cost of the war at roughly $29 billion as of May, while the CBO's broader estimate through August 1 reached $38 billion, according to Military Times.

Pentagon response and officials' comments

US Central Command told Stars and Stripes it had "nothing further to provide" when asked about the CRS findings, and the Defense Department did not offer substantive comment on the report.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach has previously described the MQ-9 Reaper, which accounts for more than half the losses in the October count, as the "most valuable player" of the operation, according to Military Times. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine has separately described an incident in which an A-10 pilot flew a damaged jet out of Iranian airspace and ejected over friendly territory, where the pilot was recovered.

Iran disputes the scope of the figures

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi referenced the report on October 8, writing that the CRS had gone from acknowledging 42 US aircraft losses in May to 81 now, and said the "real toll is far higher," according to the Tribune. Araghchi also said US Central Command has not allowed a sitting US senator to inspect bases it describes as undamaged. NIVΞCTOR could not independently verify Araghchi's claim about base access.

Background: Operation Epic Fury

Operation Epic Fury is the US military's name for operations against Iran that began February 28, 2026, alongside coordinated Israeli action, according to Stars and Stripes. Notable incidents cited in CRS and Military Times reporting include a March 12 KC-135 crash, an April rescue mission for a downed F-15E pilot, and Iranian strikes in September that damaged additional US aircraft at a base in Jordan.