The Congressional Analysis Service (CRS) has tried to collate a report of U.S. plane losses through the Iran Battle, although there are some notable omissions.
An unbiased report produced for the U.S. Congress, which needs to be pressured is unbiased of the Division of Protection (DoD) and with out entry to data past what’s publicly out there, has tried to catalogue all recognized cases of U.S. army plane being broken or destroyed because of Operation Epic Fury. This consists of plane misplaced to enemy motion in addition to to different incidents.
In whole, the CRS lists 42 airframes misplaced or broken, all of which have been beforehand recognized. It consists of 24 MQ-9 Reapers, 7 KC-135 Stratotankers, 4 F-15E Strike Eagles, 2 MC-130J Commando II, and one incident every involving an E-3 Sentry, F-35A Lightning II, A-10 Thunderbolt II, HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II, and an MQ-4C Triton.
Nonetheless, there are some elements to this report the place some recognized particulars have apparently been missed. Probably the most notable is arguably the itemizing of a single E-3 Sentry as ‘broken’. There are certainly studies that at the least one E-3 Sentry suffered broken on the bottom throughout Iranian missile and drone assaults in opposition to U.S. ahead bases within the Center East, however it’s also recognized that at the least one E-3 was actually completely destroyed.
“Broken” AWACS… pic.twitter.com/fGusI20H9p
— The(REAL)IntelFrog (@TheIntelFrogbu) Could 19, 2026
The report additionally omits the recognized intentional destruction of as many as 4 MH-6 Little Chook helicopters belonging to the a hundred and sixtieth Particular Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) throughout the identical fight search and rescue (CSAR) the place the 2 listed MC-130J Commando IIs have been deliberately destroyed after changing into caught at an austere airstrip.
Apparently, two U.S. Particular Operations Command MH‑6 Little Chook helicopters have been destroyed through the CSAR operation in Iran. pic.twitter.com/odSMFqpmcJ
— Egypt’s Intel Observer (@EGYOSINT) April 5, 2026
Deep inside Iranian territory, with these particular operations transport plane destroyed, the MH-6s had no different strategy to exit the nation and their burned out stays have been subsequently seen alongside these of the MC-130s.
For the reason that losses of those helicopters have been properly reported – together with by mainstream shops like ABC Information – it’s not clear whether or not these plane have been missed from the listing as a result of an oversight or whether or not they have been deliberately neglected. In principle, as an unbiased report with out DoD enter and compiled with the pure intent merely to offer lawmakers with an goal, succinct overview, there shouldn’t be any cause for the intentional omission of a publicly reported loss like this.
The itemizing of a single HH-60W broken can be fewer than many studies have acknowledged, though it’s rather more troublesome to make certain about these because of the lack of availability of clear proof. Some claims report two UH-60 Black Hawks have been broken through the CSAR mission, although that is extra prone to be two HH-60Ws – that are based mostly on the UH-60.
WATCH: Iranian police firing at two U.S. HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II helicopters throughout a seek for the downed F-15E crew jet as we speak. pic.twitter.com/mMdrRAlUIN
— Conflict Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026
The lead helicopter within the mission, carrying the rescued pilot, was mentioned by Basic Dan Caine – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees – to have been focused by small arms hearth, however the second HH-60W within the flight trailing behind was particularly famous as having taken hearth to the purpose of a crew member inside struggling a ‘minor harm’.
It might have been the case that each of those helicopters have been bodily broken however harm on the lead plane was restricted to superficial scars whereas on the trailing plane the harm to a crew member may point out it obtained a bigger variety of hits.
📹 Video exhibits a US Air Pressure C-130 refueling two helicopters midair as a search is underneath means for the crew of a US fighter jet reported downed in Iran ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/fUY91A0NwD
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) April 3, 2026
The entire image of plane losses and damages throughout Operation Epic Fury is probably going nonetheless a great distance off being shut to completely clear, and, if we by no means obtain a public account from the DoD, tracing them may solely be potential by means of evaluation of plane serial numbers as they finally return to the U.S. or its abroad bases.
In fact, there may be additionally the sturdy chance that we could by no means find out about potential losses or damages to categorized property in theatre. The ‘RQ-180’ that we all know has been operational through the struggle, although in precisely what capability and the place is unknown, is nearly actually solely considered one of many secret platforms in play.
