Congressional report says 81 US aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war as of Oct 5 2026

A Congressional Research Service report released on October 5, 2026 lists 81 US aircraft as lost or damaged during operations against Iran, up from 42 aircraft reported in May 2026.

The tally includes four F‑15E Strike Eagles destroyed, three of which were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, 2026 with all six crew members ejecting safely, and a fourth shot down over Iran with both crew members later recovered. Five KC‑135 tankers were damaged in an Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, and an E‑3 Sentry was also damaged at the same base in late March. A damaged F‑35A and an A‑10 crashed after being struck by enemy fire during rescue operations, and additional unmanned aircraft were listed as damaged, including 24 MQ‑9 Reapers and one MQ‑4C Triton.