CRS now counts 81 US aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war, nearly double May tally

The Congressional Research Service now lists 81 US military aircraft as lost or damaged since Operation Epic Fury against Iran began February 28, nearly double the 42 counted in May.

Why it matters: The rising airframe toll and the Pentagon's roughly $38 billion cost estimate sharpen congressional questions about the war's equipment bill as the White House presses for $87.6 billion in emergency funding that Congress has not approved.

Data as of CRS report revised October 5, 2026, as reported by Military Times October 7. Single-sourced to that report in this pass; the underlying CRS document was not independently read.

An updated Congressional Research Service report lists 81 US military aircraft as lost or damaged since the United States launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28, nearly double the 42 the service counted in May, Military Times reported Wednesday. The October 5 revision adds jets damaged in a September Iranian strike on a base in Jordan, helicopter losses drawn from a Pentagon inspector general report, and a sharply higher count of lost MQ-9 Reapers, now 45. CRS cautions the total is not a count of destroyed aircraft, noting some damaged aircraft may have been returned to service.

The report also underscores the war’s climbing cost: the Congressional Budget Office estimated the Pentagon had spent about $38 billion through August 1, including up to $3.3 billion to replace battle losses if fully funded. The White House asked Congress in June for $87.6 billion in emergency funding, $67.1 billion of it for the Pentagon, which Congress has not approved.

CRS now counts 81 US aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war, nearly double May tally

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