US Lost 39 Aircraft in Iran War, Congressman Says; Pentagon Won't Confirm
The report said the Air Force flew nearly 13,000 sorties and lost 39 aircraft, while the Pentagon has not confirmed the damage.
- On Tuesday, Democratic Congressman Ed Case told a Senate committee that the United States lost 39 aircraft in the Iran conflict, citing a report from The War Zone, while Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jay Hurst declined to confirm the figures.
- The conflict began February 28, with the U.S. Air Force flying nearly 13,000 sorties during the 40-day war; The War Zone report alleged 10 additional aircraft sustained damage beyond the 39 destroyed.
- Allegations include destruction of a Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning aircraft and damage to an American F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter reportedly hit inside Iranian airspace.
- Hurst declined to provide verified loss data, stating, "We want to do a full diagnosis of the aircraft before we estimate that cost," leaving replacement costs uncalculated.
- Lawmakers rely on defense publications to understand American military losses, revealing significant transparency gaps in how the Pentagon communicates conflict costs to Congress and the public.
28 Articles
28 Articles
U.S. Lost One Aircraft Per Day During War with Iran: Congressman Confirms 39 Destroyed
United States Congressman Ed Case has during a special Senate committee hearing confirmed that the United States lost 39 aircraft during hostilities with Iran which began on February 28. Questioning Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jay Hurst about the extent of losses suffered during the conflict, Case asked whether the Pentagon had calculated “a retention cost on all those aircraft.” Alongside the destruction of 39 aircraft, a further 10 sustain
UPDATE: Media parrots Pentagon’s low-ball cost estimate for Iran War
This week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Acting Undersecretary Jules Hurst, the Pentagon’s Chief Financial Officer, answered questions about the cost of the Iran War while testifying before House and Senate Committees.“Now we think it’s closer to 29 [billion],” Hurst said. “That’s because of updated repair and replacement of equipment costs and also just general operational costs.” There was no explanation of how this figure was calculated o…
Pentagon admits $25 billion price tag for Iran war is an underestimation
In congressional testimony Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst told the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense that the running cost of the Iran war has grown to $29 billion—and that this figure does not include damage to US military bases.
US lost 39 aircraft during 40 days of war against Iran
Wreckage and remains of a US F-15 fighter jet, shot down by Iranian defense forces in Isfahan, on April 5, 2026. Press TV A US lawmaker says the American military lost at least 39 aircraft during 40 days of the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran. Democratic Congressman Ed Case made the statement during a...
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