US loses 16 aircraft in Iran conflict, including 10 Reaper drones: report

At least 16 U.S. military aircraft have been destroyed since the conflict with Iran began, including 10 MQ-9 Reaper drones shot down by enemy fire, while several others were damaged in attacks and operational incidents, Bloomberg reported, citing officials.The most severe losses were attributed to accidents, including three U.S. F-15 fighter jets shot down by friendly fire in Kuwait and a KC-135 tanker destroyed during aerial operations, killing all six crew members on board. Five other KC-135 aircraft reportedly damaged in Iranian missile strikes Saudi Arabia.

So far, Iranian air defenses have only shot down unmanned Reaper drones, and at least nine of them were destroyed in flight. Another person was hit by a ballistic missile at a Jordanian airport. Two other people died in the accident. These drones are designed to be disposable and are often deployed in high-risk environments due to their lower cost and lack of onboard pilots.The size of the U.S. business may have contributed to the losses. Analysts say there were more sorties flown in the early stages of the war than during the outbreak of the Gulf War. “The difference may be that the effort involved is much greater,” Bloomberg quoted Peter Leighton as saying.Despite early efforts to neutralize Iran’s air defenses, achieving full air superiority has proven difficult. A U.S. F-35 fighter jet was recently hit by what was believed to be Iranian fire and was forced to make an emergency landing at a regional air base, but the pilot survived, CNN quoted Central Command officials as saying.U.S. military officials acknowledged that only “local air superiority” had been established in parts of Iran’s airspace, underscoring ongoing operational challenges. The continued presence of active air defense systems also complicates efforts to secure key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.Analysts say accidents during high-intensity operations are not uncommon. “In large-scale, fast-paced, high-pressure combat operations, periodic incidents such as the tragic mid-air collision with a KC-135 aircraft are likely to occur,” said Justin Bronk.As the war enters its third week, Iran has maintained a steady pace of regional attacks, including attacks on energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia in retaliation for attacks on its South Pars gas field.