A new Congressional Research Service report has identified at least 81 U.S. military aircraft as lost or damaged during the ongoing conflict with Iran. The October 5 update nearly doubles the 42 aircraft counted in a May assessment.

The nonpartisan CRS analysis draws from public reports, Defense Department statements, and Pentagon inspector general findings. It covers losses since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026. The total includes a mix of enemy fire, friendly fire incidents, accidents, and deliberate destructions during rescue missions. Some damaged aircraft have returned to service.

Drones account for the largest share, with 45 MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft listed among those lost or damaged. The report also includes 12 F-15E Strike Eagles, one F-35A Lightning II, two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, seven KC-135 Stratotankers, one E-3 Sentry, and several helicopters and special operations aircraft.

Notable incidents include three F-15Es shot down in a friendly fire episode over Kuwait in March and an F-15E lost in combat over Iran in April. Iranian strikes on bases in Saudi Arabia and Jordan damaged multiple tankers, fighters, and an airborne warning aircraft. One KC-135 crash killed all six crew members.

The report warns that losses among aging, high-demand aircraft could create capability gaps and increase risks in other theaters. Production constraints may slow efforts to rebuild capacity. Earlier estimates from the Congressional Budget Office placed equipment replacement costs between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion as of August 1.

The increase in the CRS tally largely reflects additional information becoming available rather than all new losses since May. The figure remains subject to change amid ongoing operations and classification limits.