Bloomberg Reveals: US Has Lost At Least 16 Military Aircraft in War Against Iran

Including 10 Reaper Strike Drones; Additional Planes Badly Damaged
Washington (March 26, 2026): At least 16 US military aircraft have been lost since the start of the conflict with Iran, according to a detailed report by Bloomberg.
The losses include 10 MQ-9 Reaper strike drones downed primarily by Iranian air defenses. In addition, half a dozen other US aircraft have been badly damaged in attacks or operational incidents.
The most serious losses were attributed to accidents rather than direct enemy action: three US F-15 fighter jets were downed by friendly fire in Kuwait airspace. A KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft was destroyed during a mid-air refueling operation, resulting in the deaths of all six crew members on board.
Five additional KC-135 refueling tankers were reportedly damaged when hit by an Iranian missile while parked at an airfield in Saudi Arabia.
According to Bloomberg, Iran has so far shot down at least nine Reaper drones in flight, with one more destroyed on the ground in Jordan by a ballistic missile. The remaining Reaper losses were due to accidents.
US officials have noted that, so far, no manned US aircraft has been directly shot down by Iranian forces — the confirmed combat losses are limited to uncrewed Reaper drones. However, the high operational tempo of the airstrike campaign has led to significant accidental losses and damage.
The Pentagon and CENTCOM have acknowledged some of the incidents but have not issued a comprehensive official tally of losses. Defense analysts say the figures highlight the risks and costs associated with sustained air operations against a capable adversary like Iran.
This development comes as the Iran-US conflict enters its fourth week, with both sides continuing high-intensity military activities.