how many aircraft has the us lost in iran

The most widely reported figure is at least 16 U.S. military aircraft lost in the Iran conflict , according to reporting cited on March 19, 2026. That total was described as 12 drones and 4 crewed aircraft/planes.

What that means

• The 16-aircraft figure is the headline number most often repeated in recent coverage.

• Several reports say the losses were mostly MQ-9 Reaper drones , with some losses tied to accidents or friendly fire , not only enemy action.

• A few later articles and commentary pieces use different totals or breakdowns, so the exact count can vary depending on whether a source is counting only destroyed aircraft, damaged aircraft, or all attrition.

Short answer

If you mean aircraft destroyed or lost overall , the best-supported answer from recent reports is 16.

If you want, I can also break down how many were drones vs. crewed aircraft.