A Congressional Research Service update dated October 5 lists eighty-one US aircraft reportedly lost or damaged during operations against Iran, according to AeroTime. The tally includes crewed airplanes, helicopters and drones, as well as repairable damage. Some aircraft may have returned to service, so the total is not a count of shootdowns or complete write-offs.
An earlier May version listed forty-two aircraft. The increase can reflect newly available information and does not necessarily measure losses sustained after May. The report draws on military statements, press reporting and inspector-general findings. A cited equipment-replacement estimate also covers more than aviation losses. Those distinctions are essential when interpreting the campaign's reported impact on US capabilities.
