The Congressional Research Service has listed 81 US aircraft reportedly lost or damaged during operations against Iran, including crewed airplanes, helicopters and drones.
The report, updated on October 5, 2026, draws on military statements, news reports and findings from the Defense Department’s inspector general. Its tally includes aircraft damaged as well as destroyed, and the researchers said some damaged aircraft may have returned to service.
The accounting offers a broader picture of the toll on US aviation since military operations against Iran began on February 28, 2026. An earlier version of the report, updated in May, listed 42 aircraft lost or damaged. The difference between the two totals does not necessarily represent losses sustained since May, as the accounting can change when additional information becomes available.
The May report listed four F-15E Strike Eagles destroyed during the campaign. Three were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, 2026, with all six crew members ejecting safely. A fourth was shot down during combat operations over Iran, and both crew members were recovered in separate rescue operations.
Some aircraft were hit while parked at bases. The May report cited accounts that five KC-135 tankers were damaged in an Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. An E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft was also struck at the base in a separate attack in late March. CRS cited subsequent reporting that the E-3 had been parked on an unprotected taxiway.
Other aircraft listed in May included a damaged F-35A and an A-10 that crashed after being struck by enemy fire during rescue operations. Two MC-130J special operations aircraft were intentionally destroyed on the ground in Iran after becoming unable to depart during efforts to recover a downed F-15E crew. Their crews were safely evacuated.
Drones accounted for much of the earlier tally, with 24 MQ-9 Reapers and one MQ-4C Triton listed.
The updated report cites a September 2026 Congressional Budget Office estimate that replacing equipment lost through August 1 could cost between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, depending on the Pentagon’s replacement plans. That estimate covers equipment losses overall, not just aircraft.
CRS has identified losses involving aging aircraft available in small numbers, such as the E-3, as a particular concern. Lawmakers face questions about whether those losses create gaps in capability, affect operations elsewhere or require changes to procurement plans.
Concerns about aircraft being attacked on the ground have also prompted the US to move bombers out of Europe. The US Air Force withdrew its B-1B Lancers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, on October 4, 2026, returning the aircraft to their home stations in the United States.
Reuters reported on October 6, citing two US officials, that fears of a suspected Iranian drone attack plot prompted the withdrawal. Iran denied involvement, and US European Command declined to discuss intelligence or specific measures to protect its forces.