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A congressional report released this month put a number on what the U.S. military has lost since launching Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28, 2026: at least 42 aircraft, ranging from stealth fighters to surveillance drones. The Congressional Research Service compiled the tally from public statements and news reports, noting the count could still rise. The Pentagon has yet to publish its own comprehensive accounting of combat losses.
What Is Operation Epic Fury?
Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran, targeting military infrastructure and missile facilities. The opening phase of the war killed several senior Iranian officials. Combat activity slowed during an April ceasefire, though some strikes resumed afterward. The Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan research arm of the Library of Congress, describes conditions as still fluid. Lawmakers have since pressed Pentagon leaders for clearer answers on costs, timelines, and outcomes.
The $29 Billion Price Tag
During a May 12 congressional hearing, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III testified that the cost of military operations in Iran had reached $29 billion. According to Hurst, much of the increase came from updated estimates on equipment repair and replacement. That figure does not include damage to U.S. military bases in the Middle East hit by Iranian retaliatory attacks. The financial scale of the conflict has sharpened pressure from lawmakers who want greater transparency on what the war has cost, and what it has achieved.
Drones Took the Heaviest Hit
Of the 42 aircraft tallied by the report, 25 were drones, making unmanned systems the single largest category of losses. The Air Force lost 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones, each valued at roughly $30 million and capable of carrying up to 16 Hellfire missiles. A single MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone was also lost in a mishap reported in mid-April. The sheer volume of drone losses underscores how heavily the military relied on unmanned aircraft during the campaign, and how effectively Iran and its allies targeted them.
Three Fighter Jets Shot Down by Friendly Fire
Among the most striking losses were three F-15E Strike Eagle fighters downed on March 1 in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait. A Kuwaiti Air Force F/A-18 Hornet mistakenly fired on the American jets, according to Military Times. All six crew members aboard the three aircraft ejected and were safely recovered. The incident was the first major acknowledged loss of crewed U.S. aircraft in the conflict, and it set a grim early tone for the accounting that would follow.
Six Airmen Killed in a Tanker Crash Over Iraq
On March 12, a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq during a combat mission, killing all six crew members on board. A second KC-135 involved in the incident landed safely. U.S. Central Command stated the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, and the Air Force investigation is ongoing. Early intelligence reports suggested the crew may have been maneuvering to avoid militia anti-aircraft fire — a characterization CENTCOM disputed. The Atlantic has reported investigators are leaning toward calling it an avoidable mishap in congested airspace.
An F-15E Downed Over Iran and a Desperate Rescue
In April, an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran during combat operations. Both crew members were recovered in separate search-and-rescue missions. The rescue itself produced additional losses. An A-10 Thunderbolt II took enemy fire and crashed on April 3 while supporting the effort; the pilot ejected safely. Two days later, U.S. forces deliberately destroyed two MC-130J Commando II special operations transports on the ground in Iran after they became unable to take off from a forward airstrip. All personnel were evacuated. A search-and-rescue helicopter also took small-arms fire during the mission.
Saudi Air Base Hit, Surveillance Plane Caught Outside
Iran struck Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia multiple times during the conflict. Five KC-135 refueling tankers parked at the base were damaged in one Iranian missile and drone attack. A separate strike on March 27 damaged an E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft. A Washington Post report cited by the CRS noted the E-3 had been left on an unprotected taxiway when it was hit, raising questions about base protection decisions made during an active air campaign.
The Numbers May Still Climb
The Congressional Research Service was careful to note that its tally of 42 aircraft “may remain subject to revision.” The report was compiled from open sources, news accounts and Defense Department statements, because the CRS has no access to classified damage assessments. Classification restrictions, continuing combat activity, and unresolved attribution all leave room for the count to grow. Iranian officials have pointed to the losses as evidence that their country imposed steep costs on U.S. forces, framing the outcome as proof the Islamic Republic withstood sustained Western military pressure.
The Gap Between the Story Told and the Costs Confirmed
The full picture of Operation Epic Fury has emerged slowly and unevenly, through congressional testimony, leaked intelligence, and a nonpartisan report the Pentagon itself has not matched with its own public assessment. 42 aircraft lost or damaged, six airmen dead in a single non-combat crash, and a $29 billion price tag that excludes base damage add up to a conflict whose costs were larger than the public narrative suggested from the start.