Trump once claimed 8 planes crashed in India-Pakistan war; Report says US lost 16 aircraft in Iran war in just 3 weeks

In May last year, Donald Trump claimed he had stopped the India-Pakistan conflict, initially saying five jets were shot down before revising the number to eight and later to 11 in February. Now, a new report has revealed that the United States has lost at least 16 aircraft, including 10 unmanned drones, during the first three weeks of military operations in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg citing US military and intelligence sources.

Reports have emerged that on Thursday, a fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet was struck by Iranian fire and forced to make an emergency landing, in addition to losses caused by enemy action, operational accidents and friendly fire.

The scale of these losses has raised concerns among defence analysts about the sustainability of the air campaign, which is being conducted at a pace that reportedly exceeds the opening sorties of the Gulf War.


Also Read: Why US Navy, the world's most powerful, can't secure a narrow 21-mile gap of Strait of Hormuz: A video explains

US casualties and major incidents

Thirteen US service members have been killed since operations began on February 28. Six died in the destruction of a KC-135 refuelling tanker during a mid-air operation, while seven were killed in Iranian attacks. Around 200 military personnel have been wounded across seven countries in the Middle East, most of whom have already returned to duty, according to the US military.

The most severe single incident was the loss of a KC-135 refuelling tanker, which was destroyed during a mid-air operation, killing all six crew members on board. Three F-15 fighter jets were also brought down by friendly fire over Kuwait. Five additional KC-135 aircraft were damaged, though not destroyed, in an Iranian ballistic missile strike on a US base in Saudi Arabia.

A US F-35 stealth fighter was also struck by suspected Iranian fire and was forced to make an emergency landing at an American air base in the region. Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesman for US Central Command, confirmed the aircraft landed safely and said the pilot was in stable condition, without confirming whether Iranian fire was responsible.

Also Read: Trump faces his most difficult Iran war decision: Will he deploy US troops to seize uranium?

Drone losses mount

Drone losses have also been significant. Of the ten drones lost, at least nine MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down in flight by Iranian air defences. One was destroyed on the ground at a Jordanian airfield in a ballistic missile strike, while two others were lost in accidents. The Reaper is designed to be expendable, as it is significantly cheaper than crewed aircraft and is often deployed in high-threat environments where pilot risk is a concern.

Air superiority remains limited

Despite early efforts to suppress Iran's air defence network, full air superiority over Iranian airspace has not been achieved. US military officials now acknowledge only localised air superiority in parts of the region. Active Iranian air defences continue to complicate efforts to secure critical routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.

High tempo operations under scrutiny

Analysts say the high number of sorties, not just Iranian capability, is a key factor behind the losses. Peter Layton noted that a much greater rate of effort could be contributing to the situation. Justin Bronk added that periodic accidents, such as the mid-air collision involving the KC-135, are an unfortunate but expected risk in large, high-tempo combat operations.

As the conflict enters its 21st consecutive day, Iran has maintained a steady pace of regional retaliatory strikes, including attacks on energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia following US-led strikes on its South Pars gas field. The losses, while significant, have not halted US operations but highlight the cost of sustaining a high-intensity air campaign against an adversary that still retains functional, though degraded, air defences.