Washington: The United States has lost or suffered damage to at least 81 military aircraft and drones during its military operations against Iran since February 28, according to a revised Congressional Research Service report. The aircraft listed in the assessment have an estimated replacement value of up to $3.3 billion.
Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress’, the updated CRS report, which was revised on October 5, adds to an earlier May assessment that had identified 42 aircraft lost or damaged during Operation Epic Fury. The list includes 12 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. Three F-15Es were shot down over Kuwait on March 2 after being mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defences. An Iranian ballistic missile attack on the Jordanian base on September 8-9 damaged around eight F-15Es and an A-10 Thunderbolt II. The F-15s suffered lighter damage and were later returned to service, while the A-10 suffered much heavier damage, including a damaged wing. It is valued at more than $92 million. The report also lists two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft. At least 45 MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft are included in the tally. Each aircraft is estimated to cost between $30 million and $50 million. An Air Force general told senators in May that the fleet had fallen to about 135 aircraft, compared with an Air Force requirement of 189 deployable Reapers. The CRS assessment also lists one MQ-4C Triton high-altitude surveillance drone and three MQ-1 unmanned aircraft. One of the more expensive aircraft on the list is the E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control aircraft. The platform is based on the Boeing 707 and has an estimated cost of about $270 million. The United States had 32 E-3 aircraft in operation as of 2015, according to the US Air Force. Other losses include two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft, one HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search-and-rescue helicopter, one AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, four AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters and one MH-60 Seahawk maritime helicopter. The US Central Command estimated the total cost of the war at $43.6 billion through September 3, according to data provided to lawmakers. This was higher than the $38 billion estimate from the Congressional Budget Office for costs through August 1. The Central Command breakdown put the cost of replacing spent munitions at $28.1 billion, up from $21.7 billion in the CBO estimate. That was an increase of more than $6 billion in just over a month. The CENTCOM’s $43.6 billion estimate also included about $11.2 billion for military operations and $4.3 billion for replacing lost equipment. The Congressional Budget Office had estimated equipment losses at between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion as of August 1, depending on the Defence Department’s plans for replacing the equipment. The CRS has emphasised that its 81-aircraft count should not be read as 81 aircraft being permanently destroyed.
Because some information is classified, military operations are still underway and responsibility for some incidents can be difficult to establish, the agency has also cautioned that the number could change. Four of them were lost in earlier incidents during the campaign. The list includes aircraft that were destroyed, lost or damaged, with some later repaired and returned to service.
The CRS said its list was compiled from news reports, statements by the US Department of Defense and US Central Command, along with information from the Defense Department Inspector General. A US official told Reuters that no American personnel were killed in the attack. Titled ‘U.S. The tally includes fighter jets, aerial refuelling aircraft, helicopters, surveillance planes and unmanned systems. CRS is the nonpartisan research arm of the US Congress. Its researchers do not have access to classified military damage assessments. Some damaged aircraft have been repaired and returned to service. All six crew members ejected safely. Another F-15E was shot down over Iran in April. The other eight aircraft in the CRS tally were damaged during Iranian missile strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September. The CRS list also includes one F-35A Lightning II, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft operated by the US Air Force. Drones account for a large share of the aircraft listed by the CRS. It is a long-endurance armed drone used for surveillance, intelligence gathering and strike missions. The losses have also affected the size of the US Reaper fleet. The aircraft damage is only one part of the cost of the military confrontation. The estimate did not include the full cost of repairing US military bases damaged by Iranian attacks. The aircraft replacement value cited by CRS is separate from the overall cost of the war. The assessment can also change as more information about the conflict becomes available.
