Four have been destroyed in the conflict so far, including three shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait

Among the other incidents recorded in the report are the crash of seven KC-135 stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft over friendly airspace, which could cost around $1.8bn to replace based on US Air Force budget estimates for previous replacement purchases.

In total, the 42 planes include four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter, one A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, seven KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, one E-3 Sentry AWACS surveillance aircraft, two MC-130J Commando II aircraft, one HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone.

The cost of replacing the aircraft are estimated to be around $7bn but valuations of the planes (some now out of production) and their potential replacements vary widely.

This sounds like Operation Epic Incompetence to me. Shot down by friendly fire? Crashing in friendly airspace? But no worries, $7B of additional debt-funded, taxpayer-guaranteed dollars will be flowing to the Regime’s buddies in MIC companies.