At least 42 US aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, were lost or damaged during Operation Epic Fury, which was launched on February 28 against Iran, according to an official report.
The report was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). It said the number of aircraft damaged or destroyed could still change because of several factors. These include classification issues, ongoing combat activity, and attribution.
The report said the aircraft losses and damage included four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, and one A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft.
It also included seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft, one E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft, and one HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter.
The report further listed 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton drone among the aircraft that were lost or damaged.
The CRS provides policy and legal analysis to the US Congress and congressional committees. The report said the agency compiled the information by reviewing news reports and statements from the Department of Defense and the US Central Command.
During a hearing of the House Appropriations subcommittee on May 12, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W Hurst III spoke about the rising cost of military operations in Iran.
He testified that the Defense Department’s cost estimate for the operations has increased to USD 29 billion.
“A lot of that increase comes from having a refined estimate on repair or replacement costs for equipment,” he said.
