DID Press: A new report by the Congressional Research Service of the United States has estimated that at least 42 American aircraft—including fighter jets and drones—were destroyed, missing, or damaged during the recent conflict with Iran.
According to the report, the losses include 17 fighter jets and 25 unmanned aerial vehicles, marking the first official congressional assessment detailing the scale of US aerial damage in the war.
The analysis states that the Pentagon has not yet released a final accounting of total losses, but preliminary estimates place direct war-related costs at around $29 billion. This figure covers operational expenses and equipment losses, but excludes damage to US military bases across the Middle East, which could significantly increase the overall cost.
Researchers involved in the assessment attributed part of the losses to Iran’s layered air defense systems and counter-strikes, while also pointing to vulnerabilities in US surveillance and combat drones operating in contested environments.
The report is expected to fuel further debate in Congress over the true cost of the war and the effectiveness of US military deterrence strategy against Iran.