U.S. lost 42 aircraft, including fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper drones in Iran war: report

Key points

• At least 42 U.S.
• aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, were lost or damaged during Operation Epic Fury launched on February 28 targeting Iran, according to an official report.
• The number of aircraft damaged or destroyed may remain subject to revision due to multiple factors, including classification, ongoing combat activity, and attribution, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) report said.
• The aircraft losses and damages include four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, one A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft, one E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft, one HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton drone.
• The CRS, which provides policy and legal analysis to the U.S.