War with Iran: US loses 16 aircraft, including Reaper drones
What's the story
At least 16 United States military aircraft have been lost since the conflict with Iran began, according to multiple reports. The losses include 12 Reaper drones and four planes. The downed Reapers were all armed. These drones have been heavily deployed by the US against Iran and other adversaries in West Asia and other places.
Loss breakdown
Three fighter jets shot down by friendly fire
The first prominent incident was the downing of three F-15 fighter jets, which were shot down by friendly fire in Kuwait. A KC-135 tanker was also lost during a refueling operation over Iraq, killing all six crew members on board. Additionally, five KC-135s were damaged in an Iranian missile strike at Prince Sultan airbase in Saudi Arabia.
Drone losses
Iranian air defenses only hit uncrewed Reapers
What has come to light is that Iranian air defenses have only managed to successfully target uncrewed Reaper drones. At least nine of these were shot down mid-air, while one was hit by a ballistic missile at an airfield in Jordan. Two more were lost in separate accidents. The Reapers are considered ideal for high-risk missions since they don't carry pilots and are relatively cheaper to replace.
Airspace control
US admits it has only localized air superiority over Iran
Despite initial attempts to neutralize Iran's air defense systems, the US and Israel have not achieved full air superiority. A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing after it was struck by suspected Iranian fire. The pilot survived and is stable. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine admitted that "the United States only has localized air superiority," meaning control is limited to certain areas rather than all of Iranian airspace.
Ongoing hostilities
Conflict enters 3rd week, US military assets at risk
The conflict has entered its third week and continues to escalate. While US officials claim Iranian attacks have decreased, Tehran has continued strikes across the region. These include targeting energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia in retaliation for earlier attacks on its South Pars gas field. The MQ-9 Reaper is a long-endurance, surveillance-and-strike UAV that costs rughly $30-$32 million per unit without being additionally equipped.