The US has lost or damaged at least 81 military aircraft since fighting in an Iran war is described as having begun, with estimated losses valued at up to $3.3 billion, according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report cited by multiple outlets.
The reported losses include F-35 and F-15E fighter jets and at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, with NDTV also highlighting the aircraft categories and estimated per-unit values for the F-15E jets and the MQ-9 drones. Other outlets stress the overall tally and the potential financial impact, rather than a detailed breakdown.
While these reports focus on the CRS figures, some outlets also situate the figures within broader regional developments, citing ongoing tensions and violence elsewhere in the Middle East during the same period. The outlets generally describe the same incident count and dollar range, but differ in how they emphasize per-aircraft valuations versus the total losses and regional context.
