U.S. Air Losses in Iran Conflict Reach Nearly $4 Billion, Pentagon Reports
Government reports and open-source data show that the United States has lost or damaged dozens of aircraft, including drones and manned platforms, since the war with Iran began in February, with total replacement costs potentially exceeding $4 billion.
The Pentagon’s lead inspector general released a quarterly report covering Operation Epic Fury from February 28 to June 30, and the Congressional Budget Office followed with a cost assessment through August 1. Combined with open-source intelligence, the data show that the United States has lost or damaged a range of aircraft, the majority of which are unmanned systems.
"As many as 30" MQ-9A Reaper drones were destroyed, according to the inspector general, while the CBO recorded 24 losses at a unit cost of $30 million each, totaling $720 million to $900 million. Subsequent reporting indicates that at least 47 Reapers have been lost, representing more than $1.4 billion in equipment value.
The Air Force is pursuing lower-cost replacements, targeting a new “Massed Modular Aircraft” platform priced around $10 million per unit, after acknowledging that the current MQ-9A is no longer in production.
Other unmanned losses include one MQ-4C Triton, valued at $150 million to $238 million, and an MQ-1 shot down over international waters in May.
Among manned aircraft, two KC-135 Stratotankers were destroyed and up to seven damaged, with a separate mid-air collision in March killing six crew members. Three F-15E Strike Eagles were lost early in the conflict, and additional aircraft were damaged by missile fire at a base in Jordan. A rescue operation in early April resulted in the loss of two MC-130J Commando II transports, four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters and damage to other assets, costing over $400 million.
Two A-10C Warthog jets sustained damage, one during the rescue mission and another on the ground. An E-3G Sentry was heavily damaged on a taxiway in March, with the CBO estimating a $500 million replacement cost. Additional losses include a single F-35A struck by fire, a Black Hawk hit by a short-range drone, a CH-47F Chinook wrecked in Kuwait, and an AH-64 Apache shot down near the Strait of Hormuz.
The CBO’s August 1 estimate placed aircraft and related hardware losses at $1.9 billion; accounting for full replacement of all lost platforms raises the figure to $3.3 billion, and further repairs and uncounted damage could push total costs above $4 billion.
Both the inspector general and the CBO highlighted significant depletion of U.S. missile inventories, noting that up to two-thirds of Patriot, THAAD, SM-3 and SM-6 stocks have been expended since June 2025. Replenishment could take five years or more, raising concerns about readiness for other potential conflicts, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
Senior commanders have expressed reservations about the strain on munitions and aircraft, with several theater chiefs formally registering non-concurrence with the Secretary of Defense’s orders to sustain the Iran operation. The Pentagon has announced plans to increase production of Patriot and THAAD systems, but the timeline for delivering new interceptors extends several years.
Analysts note that the scale of aircraft losses and munitions consumption could affect U.S. deterrence posture elsewhere, as the ability to replace high-cost platforms and replenish missile stocks will be limited in the near term.