US report: Iraq war losses include 81 military aircraft, including 12 F-15 fighters

According to a report released by the U.S. Congressional Research Service on the 5th, since the military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, a total of 81 U.S. military aircraft have been damaged or destroyed.

△MQ-9 drone (file photo)

According to the report, the damaged aircraft include 12 F-15E fighter jets, 2 A-10 "Thunderbolt" attack aircraft, 7 KC-135 refueling aircraft, 1 E-3 "Sentry" early warning aircraft, 1 MQ-4C large unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, and 45 MQ-9 "Reaper" drones, among others.

The report states that the relevant data comes from news reports, the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Central Command, and the Department of Defense Inspector General. Congress is considering whether to approve funding requests for the repair or replacement of the damaged aircraft, and will assess the war environment and the threat level of enemy firepower based on the loss evaluation, as well as whether adjustments to U.S. military equipment, tactics, or base deployment are necessary.

A report released by the U.S. Department of Defense oversight agency on September 14 indicates that the conflict with Iran has resulted in significant losses for U.S. military bases and diplomatic facilities in the Middle East, with at least hundreds of buildings and other facilities damaged, and over 50 U.S. military aircraft damaged or destroyed. This is the Pentagon's first formal report on the losses of U.S. equipment and facilities during this conflict, covering the losses incurred from the large-scale military actions initiated by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on February 28 to June 30. Additionally, a report released by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office estimates that as of August 1, the U.S. Department of Defense has spent approximately $38 billion on the conflict with Iran over the past five months.