As the estimated cost of the war in Iran for the United States rises, Congress also lists military air losses.
A recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) has provided the most detailed public overview available so far on the losses suffered by the United States during Operation Epic Fury, the military campaign against Iran that began on February 28.
According to the document, 42 U.S. aircraft were lost or damaged in the 40 days of operations, reports Defense News.
At the same time, the economic cost of the American military campaign against Tehran is also increasing: 29 billion dollars. This is the latest estimate provided by Jules Hurst, who serves as the Pentagon Comptroller, reported during the U.S. House hearing on May 12, including updated costs for equipment repair and replacement, as well as operational expenses. The figure represents an increase of 4 billion dollars compared to the estimate provided by the Pentagon on April 30.
All the details.
THE CRS REPORT ON AIR LOSSES
On May 13, the Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan research arm of the Library of Congress, published the report titled “U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress,” based on open sources, Department of Defense statements, and communications from the United States Central Command (Centcom).
The authors themselves note that the count may be revised due to the classification of some information, ongoing operations, and difficulties in attributing losses, the American outlet specifies.
FOUR F-15E SHOT DOWN
The first losses occurred between March 1 and 2, when a Kuwaiti Air Force F/A-18 Hornet mistakenly shot down three F-15E Strike Eagles over Kuwait during a battle involving Iranian attacks with aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones. All six crew members ejected and were recovered.
A fourth F-15E was shot down over Iran on April 3. In this case as well, the two crew members were recovered in separate search and rescue operations.
AN F-35A ALSO HIT
The report also notes that an F-35A Lightning II was hit by Iranian anti-aircraft fire on March 19 but still managed to return to base.
The F-35 Jsf, produced by Lockheed Martin, is the most advanced fighter-bomber in the U.S. armed forces. Besides being one of the most advanced, the aircraft is also one of the most expensive (about 80 million dollars per unit).
SIX CREW MEMBERS OF A TANKER AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN IRAQ KILLED
Among the most serious incidents is the March 12 crash, when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed over western Iraq during an aerial refueling mission. All six crew members died in the incident, the only fatalities reported in the CRS list.
The tanker aircraft was engaged in ongoing U.S. operations against Iran and was one of two aircraft involved in the incident. The second aircraft managed to land safely at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, as reported by the Bbc. The tanker aircraft, produced by Boeing, are capable of refueling planes in flight and play a crucial role in U.S. military operations. They were widely used in the first Gulf War to extend the range of fighters and bombers.
OTHER AIR LOSSES SUFFERED BY THE U.S.
On March 14, Iranian missiles and drones struck the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, damaging five more KC-135s on the ground and bringing the total losses in the tanker fleet to seven.
On March 27, a new Iranian attack on Prince Sultan also hit an E-3 Sentry radar aircraft. According to a Washington Post article cited by the CRS, the aircraft was parked on an unprotected taxiway. On April 3, an A-10 Thunderbolt II crashed after being hit by enemy fire during a search and rescue mission. In this case too, the pilot ejected and was recovered.
Two days later, during the recovery operations of the weapons systems officer of a downed F-15E, U.S. forces destroyed on the ground in Iran two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft that had failed to take off from an advanced runway. All personnel were evacuated, while an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter was hit by gunfire during the same mission.
DRONES ARE THE BIGGEST VICTIMS OF THE CAMPAIGN
Finally, as Defense News points out, the most affected category of aircraft is drones. Of the 42 aircraft indicated in the report, 25 are unmanned systems: 24 MQ-9 Reapers and one MQ-4C Triton lost in an incident reported on April 14.
With a wingspan of 20 meters and a length of 11 meters, the MQ-9A Predator is one of the main intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tools available to the U.S. armed forces. The drone is designed to operate at medium-high altitude for long periods. It boasts an endurance that can exceed 24 hours of continuous flight and an operational altitude reaching about 15,000 meters.
Despite the losses, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Kenneth Wilsbach, called the Reaper the most important platform of the entire campaign. “Perhaps the most valuable aircraft was a drone,” Wilsbach said before the House Armed Services Committee on May 20. “No other platform even comes close to the MQ-9.”
