CRS report: US has lost or damaged at least 81 aircraft, worth up to $3.3bn, in Iran war
A Congressional Research Service report says at least 81 US military aircraft have been lost or damaged since the Iran war began, at a cost of up to $3.3 billion. The losses include F-15Es, MQ-9 Reaper drones and an E-3 Sentry.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2A new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report says the US has had at least 81 military aircraft lost or damaged since the war in Iran began, a loss totalling as much as $3.3 billion. New York PostR “The US has had at least 81 US military aircraft lost or damaged since the war in Iran began, a loss totaling as much as $3.3 billion” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “has had at least 81 US military aircraft lost or damaged since the war in Iran began” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2The losses include one damaged F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter and 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters that were destroyed or damaged. New York PostR “one damaged F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter and 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “one damaged F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter and 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters that have been destroyed or damaged” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2Three of the F-15s, each worth more than $30 million, were shot down in friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, and another was shot down over Iran the following month. New York PostR “Three of the F-15 jets, worth more than $30 million each, were shot down in friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “The following month, one more was shot down over Iran.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Mixed · 2Eight other F-15Es sustained minor damage in Iranian airstrikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on September 9 and 10; according to the report, the damaged aircraft have returned to service. An A-10 Thunderbolt II was also damaged in the September attack, and another was lost in April. New York PostR “The damaged aircraft, fortunately, have been returned to service, according to the report.” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “Another was damaged during the September attack on Jordan.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2At least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, estimated at $30 to $50 million each, were lost. An Air Force general told the Senate in May that the fleet had fallen to 135, against a stated requirement of at least 189 deployable Reapers, per the Air Force Times. New York PostR “at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are estimated to be worth between $30 to $50 million each” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “Per the Air Force Times, the Air Force is meant to have at least 189 deployable Reaper drones at any time.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets report that the CRS singled out the loss of one $270 million E-3 Sentry surveillance plane; they note the Air Force had 32 in operation as of 2015. They also describe a fifth-generation jet worth more than $92 million, which they call an "F-34A", damaged by Iranian fire on March 19. New York PostR “the loss of one $270 million E-3 Sentry surveillance plane” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “damage sustained by a fifth-generation F-34A, which is one of America’s most advanced warplanes, worth more than $92 million” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1Hindustan Times adds a breakdown of the aircraft lost or damaged: 12 F-15Es, one F-35A, two A-10s, seven KC-135 tankers, one E-3, two MC-130Js, one HH-60W, one MQ-4C Triton, three MQ-1s, one AH-64 Apache, four AH-6 Little Birds and one MH-60 Sea Hawk. Hindustan TimesN “Seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft”“Four AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets also say US Central Command estimated last month that the war's total cost had risen to $43.6 billion, up $5 billion from August. Weapons costs rose by more than $6 billion in just over a month, from $21.7 billion in the latest Congressional Budget Office report to $28.1 billion in the Central Command estimate. New York PostR “the total cost of the war in Iran grew to $43.6 billion — a $5 billion increase from August” Read at New York Post ↗ Hindustan TimesN “from $21.7 billion listed in the latest Congressional Budget Office report to $28.1 billion in US Central Command’s estimate” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Right · 1The New York Post said the White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. New York PostR “The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the CRS findings as a revelation and adds a full list of aircraft lost or damaged; links to related coverage of Trump and Iran.
- Emphasis
- The complete aircraft-by-type list alongside the headline costs.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention that the White House and Pentagon were approached for comment.
- Charged language
- “huge loss”“revealed”
- For example
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“Here is the total list of US aircraft lost or damaged in the Iran war” — Hindustan Times
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with the headline cost figure and the loss of advanced aircraft, as a straightforward report of the CRS findings.
- Emphasis
- Individual high-value losses, the Reaper fleet shortfall and the war's rising cost.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no full breakdown of the 81 aircraft by type.
- Charged language
- “fortunately”“hefty loss”
- For example
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“The losses include some of America’s most advanced warplanes” — New York Post
What every side reports
- At least 81 US military aircraft have been lost or damaged since the Iran war began, worth up to $3.3 billion, according to the CRS.
- 12 F-15Es and one F-35A were destroyed or damaged; three F-15s were shot down in friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2.
- At least 45 MQ-9 Reapers were lost, and the fleet fell to 135.
- Central Command estimates the war's total cost at $43.6 billion.
Congressional Research Service organisation
Its report is the source for the loss tally of at least 81 aircraft worth up to $3.3 billion, and it specifically pointed to the E-3 Sentry loss.
“The Congressional Research Service also specifically pointed to the loss of one $270 million E-3 Sentry surveillance plane” — New York Post
“A new Congressional Research Service report has revealed” — Hindustan Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Neutral Near-identical summary of the CRS findings, plus a full aircraft list and links to related Iran stories.
Right1 article
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US military has lost 81 planes, drones and helicopters worth $3.3 billion in Iran war: report
Neutral Straight report of CRS figures, with a mildly editorial note on the damaged jets returning to service.
- 7 Oct 00:15 First New York PostR US military has lost 81 planes, drones and helicopters worth $3.3 billion in Iran war: report
- 7 Oct 07:33 +7h 18m Hindustan TimesN Iran war cost US 81 planes, drones and helicopters worth $3.3 billion; see full list of US aircraft lost or damaged
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.