The US lost 42 aircraft in its operation in Iran.

The U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports that at least 42 of the country's military aircraft have been destroyed or damaged since Operation Epic Fury began.

An F-35A fighter jet prepares for takeoff from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Photo: US Navy .

According to statistics cited by The Hill , the list of assets believed to have been lost includes: 4 F-15E fighter jets, 1 F-35A stealth fighter, 1 A-10 attack aircraft, 7 KC-135 refueling aircraft, 1 E-3 airborne early warning and control aircraft, 2 MC-130J special operations aircraft, 1 HH-60W combat rescue helicopter, along with 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and 1 MQ-4C Triton high-altitude reconnaissance UAV.

According to a report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), the above figures were compiled from press releases and official statements from the U.S. Department of War and the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

Heavy damage to fighter jets and refueling aircraft.

Based on data released by CENTCOM, CRS has compiled a list of notable losses suffered by the U.S. Air Force.

Regarding the F-15E Strike Eagle , a total of four aircraft have been reported shot down. On March 2nd, three were shot down by allied anti-aircraft fire over Kuwait; all six crew members safely ejected using ejection seats. The remaining F-15E was shot down while on a mission over Iranian airspace on April 5th, but the pilots were successfully rescued, according to Turkey.

With the F-35A Lightning II – a fifth-generation fighter jet considered a symbol of American technological superiority – one aircraft was damaged by Iranian ground fire during fighting on March 19.

Meanwhile, an A-10 Thunderbolt II , a renowned attack aircraft known for its close air support capabilities, was hit by enemy fire and crashed on April 3rd. The pilot ejected safely. This loss was later confirmed by Air Force General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a press conference on April 6th.

The KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft group also suffered significant losses, totaling 7 aircraft.

On March 12, a KC-135 crashed in Iraq, killing all six crew members; another was forced to make an emergency landing after an incident in allied airspace. Two days later, five more refueling aircraft were damaged while parked at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in a missile and drone attack believed to have been carried out by Iran.

Not only combat units, but also equipment performing command, rescue, and special operations missions are facing losses.

An E-3 Sentry – a limited-production and aging airborne early warning and control aircraft – was damaged in the missile attack on Prince Sultan Air Base on March 28. According to a report released on May 7, the aircraft was parked on a taxiway without any protective structures.

For special operations forces, two MC-130J Commando II helicopters self-destructed over Iranian territory on April 5th after failing to take off during a search and rescue operation for the F-15E crew. All personnel had been safely evacuated beforehand.

Also during this operation, an HH-60W Jolly Green II combat rescue helicopter was damaged after being hit by infantry fire.

U.S. Air Force personnel conduct pre-flight preparations on an MQ-9 Reaper drone during the Sentry South exercise in Gulfport, Mississippi, on March 3. Photo: U.S. National Guard.

As of April 9th, the US is believed to have lost a total of 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones – a primary reconnaissance and attack UAV used in numerous military operations over the past two decades.

Additionally, a U.S. Navy document cited on April 14th confirmed that another MQ-4C Triton – a strategic high-altitude surveillance UAV – crashed due to a technical malfunction.

Among the recorded losses, those involving MQ-9s are attracting the most attention due to their long-term impact on combat capabilities.

Each MQ-9 Reaper costs approximately $30 million , meaning the total value of the lost UAVs is estimated to be close to $1 billion . According to reports, this figure is equivalent to about 20% of the US Reaper stockpile before the conflict.

More notably, this line of UAVs is no longer being manufactured for the US forces, making the possibility of replenishing and restocking forces significantly more complicated.

Becca Wasser, Director of Defense Programs at Bloomberg Economics, noted that while UAVs are generally considered to be wearable assets due to the lack of pilots, this is not the case with the MQ-9.

The damage could be more severe.

The agency noted that it is still not possible to fully determine how these losses will affect the Pentagon's "ability to meet current operational requirements, maintain global force deployments, and respond to unforeseen emergencies."

Reports from Bloomberg sources indicate that the actual number of Reaper losses could reach 30, including those severely damaged and scrapped. Meanwhile, only about 10 of the next-generation Avenger jet drones have been built, insufficient to replace the Reaper fleet in the long term.

The significant losses necessitate additional budget allocations beyond the planned costs to cover repairs and the purchase of replacement equipment. The Independent reported that the estimated replacement cost for all 42 aircraft is approximately $7 billion (the F-35A costs around $110 million each, the F-15E around $65-70 million each, and the replacement package for 7 KC-135s costs around $1.8 billion ).

Damage to limited-quantity platforms like the E-3 Sentry could severely impair combat capabilities in other key theaters of war around the world . Current production lines and supply chains are unlikely to compensate for the loss of aircraft in the short term due to the need to prioritize previously signed foreign military commercial contracts.

The US conflict with Iran is putting increasing pressure on the US military, as Washington reports hundreds of casualties, dwindling ammunition stocks, and numerous aircraft shot down since the conflict erupted on February 28. The US Navy also warned last week that it would face significant budget cuts this summer if it does not receive emergency funding from Congress.

U.S. Marine Corps soldiers rappel from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter during helicopter operations and rappelling training on the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), May 8. Photo: U.S. Marine Corps.

At least 15 American servicemen have been killed and more than 500 wounded since the US-Israel conflict against Tehran began. Additionally, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford suffered damage from a fire in its laundry area, while the US military is rapidly depleting its stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles and long-range ammunition.

Washington and Tehran are currently maintaining a fragile ceasefire that has been in effect since April, but the cost of the war has already reached approximately $29 billion .

"The majority of the cost increase comes from our updated estimates for repairing or replacing damaged equipment," Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon's budget controller, said at a hearing before U.S. House lawmakers on May 12.

US President Donald Trump is reportedly seeking a way out of the conflict, but the prospects of reaching a peace agreement remain very fragile due to deep disagreements between Washington and Tehran over Iran's uranium enrichment program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to sources this week, Iran wants all hostile actions against it and its allies in Lebanon to cease completely. Tehran also demands that the US withdraw its forces from areas near Iran, compensate for damages caused by the US-Israel military campaign, lift sanctions, release frozen funds, and end the US blockade of the country through the Strait of Hormuz.

However, for weeks, both the Donald Trump administration and Iran have rejected each other's peace proposals. Last week, Trump rejected Tehran's offer to separate nuclear negotiations from peace talks, calling it "completely unacceptable."

Source: https://znews.vn/my-ton-that-42-may-bay-trong-chien-dich-tai-iran-post1653510.html