Op Epic Fury cost US $33.4 billion. 7 killed in action, 417 wounded, 52 aircraft & drones lost

The findings are mentioned in a report released by the Pentagon and presented to the US Congress on 15 September.

New Delhi: Damages of nearly $184 million to diplomatic facilities, 14 military casualties, including 7 killed in action, and 417 wounded—the Operation Epic Fury (OEF) resulted in substantial losses to the US that is still in conflict with Iran.

The findings, according to a report released by the Pentagon’s Inspector General and presented to the US Congress on 15 September, also mentions that 52 military aircraft and drones were either damaged or destroyed during the 38-day operation that concluded 5 May. The operation, carried out by the US and Israel, was done with the objective of dismantling the Iranian regime’s security apparatus.

Giving details of the human losses, the Department of War (DoW) mentioned that six personnel were killed in Kuwait’s Port Shuaiba on 1 March. The seventh service member was lost on the same date in Saudi Arabia.

Four additional service members—3 in Jordan and 1 in Iraq—were killed in action in July, it added.

As for the non-hostile deaths, six perished in a KC-135 crash in Iraq on 12 March and 1 other in a MH-60S helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea on 1 July, according to the report.

Under the Defense Casualty Analysis System, all casualties before 7 July were listed as part of OEF, while those later were identified as having occurred during ‘overseas operations’.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) gave details of 52 aerial assets, including 30 MQ-9 Reapers, lost in various theatres. Four F-15E fighters were destroyed, out of which 3 were due to friendly fire and 1 from enemy fire. A F-35A fighter was lost due to enemy fire over Iran.

An A-10 attack aircraft was destroyed and jettisoned due to damage on return from a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission. Five KC-135 refuelling aircraft were damaged or destroyed on the ground in Saudi Arabia by Iranian munitions while one was damaged and another destroyed in a collision over Iraq.

An E-3 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system was damaged on the ground in Saudi Arabia by Iranian strikes.

Seven helicopters were either damaged, destroyed, or crashed in the same period. A HH-60W helicopter was damaged during CSAR operations, 4 AH-6 copters destroyed during CSAR operations as they were deemed unrecoverable, and another AH-6 shot down over the Strait of Hormuz. A MH-60 copter crashed over the Arabian Sea.

Apart from 30 MQ-9 Reapers destroyed in various circumstances, one MQ-4C high-altitude long-endurance uncrewed aircraft was reported to have crashed.

In the report, the cost calculated for the operation by the DoW was $33.4 billion, including $22.3 billion on munitions, as of 29 June.