Aditya DidwaniyaA fresh Congressional report says more than 80 US military aircraft have been destroyed or damaged in the Iran conflict, nearly double the earlier count.
Updated Report Shows Sharp Jump In Losses
US aircraft losses in the Iran conflict have passed 80, according to an updated Congressional Research Service report. The nonpartisan research arm serves the US Congress.
The report lists 81 fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft lost or damaged in operations against Iran since February 28. That total includes drones used throughout the campaign. Researchers released the updated findings on Monday.
This figure nearly doubles the earlier estimate. A previous version of the same report had counted 42 aircraft lost or damaged since the conflict began.
How The Losses Break Down
The report splits the 81 aircraft into three groups. Drones make up the largest share, with 47 lost or damaged. Tactical aircraft account for 21 of the cases, and helicopters make up the remaining 13.
Analysts also graded the losses by severity. They list 54 aircraft as fully destroyed or beyond recovery, counting them as permanent combat losses. The other 27 suffered serious damage and were pulled from service for repairs.
Figures Still Likely To Shift
Report authors flagged these numbers as preliminary. Classification rules, ongoing combat, and difficulty verifying individual incidents could all change the final count.
This is now the second major public assessment of US aircraft losses in the campaign. The jump between reports points to a toll that keeps climbing months into the operation.
Pratik Agrawal
Mayur Mohta
Akshay Didwaniya