New Delhi: The United States has lost or suffered damage to at least 81 military aircraft and drones during its war operations in Iran and the wider Middle East this year, with the combined value of the equipment estimated at nearly $3.3 billion.
A Congressional Research Service report detailing US aircraft combat losses includes some of the country’s most advanced and expensive military platforms, ranging from F-35A stealth fighters and F-15E strike aircraft to MQ-9 Reaper drones and KC-135 aerial refuelling tankers.
The reported losses include 12 F-15E aircraft, one F-35A Lightning II, two A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft and seven KC-135 Stratotankers.
Three F-15Es were shot down in a friendly-fire incident over Kuwait on March 2, while another was reportedly brought down over Iran the following month. At least eight additional F-15Es suffered minor damage during Iranian airstrikes targeting Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on September 9 and 10.
The US military also lost an E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft, one HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter and one MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft.
The losses further included three MQ-1 unmanned aircraft and 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Billions in Aircraft and Weapons Losses
The financial impact is significant. Individual F-15 aircraft are valued at more than $30 million, while MQ-9 Reaper drones are estimated to cost between $30 million and $50 million each. The F-35A has a reported value of more than $92 million.
An E-3 Sentry, an ageing but strategically important surveillance platform based on the Boeing 707, is valued at about $270 million.
Other combat losses included an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, four AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters and an MH-60 Sea Hawk maritime helicopter.
The report cautioned that the figures could change because some operational information remains classified and investigations into certain incidents are still ongoing. Some aircraft listed as damaged could also return to service after repairs.
The cost of US weapons used in the conflict has also risen sharply, with estimates increasing from $21.7 billion to $28.1 billion in a little over a month.
The White House and Pentagon had not publicly commented on the reported figures at the time of publication.
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