The latest Congressional Research Service (CRS) update released on October 5 lists 81 U.S. aircraft that have been either lost or damaged in the war with Iran. This figure more than doubles the 42 aircraft reported in the CRS’s May update and reflects a growing tally drawn from a variety of news sources.
Cost Estimates Vary Widely
The Washington Times calculated that replacing the 81 aircraft at full unit cost would total about $5.1 billion. The calculation uses federal cost data for 73 of the aircraft; three MQ‑1 unmanned aircraft, one MH‑60 Seahawk helicopter and four AH‑6 helicopters are excluded because the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) did not provide unit costs for them.
By contrast, a September 15 CBO report estimated equipment‑loss costs as of August 1 to be between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, depending on Defense Department replacement plans. The CBO’s estimate covers all equipment, not just aircraft, and does not include infrastructure repairs.
Why the Discrepancy?
The higher $5.1 billion figure stems from the CRS’s broader aircraft list, which adds eight F‑15Es, one A‑10, five KC‑135 tankers and 21 MQ‑9 drones that the CBO’s table omitted. When the eight F‑15Es—cited by news reports but later returned to service—are removed, the total drops to roughly $4.34 billion.
One notable loss is an E‑3 Sentry airborne early‑warning aircraft that suffered a direct hit. Replacing it with an E‑7 would cost about $500 million, according to CBO estimates.
Other Government Estimates
The Department of Defense’s own inspector general, in a September 14 report covering April 1 to June 30, cited a Defense Department comptroller estimate of $3.7 billion in equipment losses since the war began. That figure, like the CBO’s, encompasses all equipment, not solely aircraft, and excludes infrastructure repairs.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees Middle‑East operations, reported total war costs through September 3 at $43.6 billion. That number includes projected munitions replacement but not repairs to damaged U.S. bases, and it attributes $4.3 billion of the total to equipment‑loss replacement.
What This Means for the Nation
The war’s overall cost, according to CENTCOM, has risen to $38 billion through August 1 and is expected to increase by $2 billion to $3 billion each month, depending on the conflict’s intensity. These figures underscore the significant financial burden the conflict places on the federal budget and highlight the importance of accurate accounting as the administration continues to assess and respond to the evolving situation.
Original reporting: WMAL (Washington DC) — read the source article.
