By Mohamed Elbedewy

 

WASHINGTON, 12 March. - (ANA) - The United States, which spends nearly $1 trillion annually on defence, possesses military and technological capabilities unprecedented among superpowers in history.

 

It also has the largest fleet of aircraft in the world, estimated at 13,023 planes, as well as 5,200 nuclear warheads.

 

It was therefore not surprising that President Donald Trump said he is capable of striking Iran with force exceeding twenty times the blows it has received so far.

 

The United States has used more than 20 types of aircraft, ships, and missiles in its attacks on Iran.

 

US Central Command described the operation as "the largest concentration of American military firepower in the Middle East in an entire generation," meaning it is the largest since the war on Iraq in 2003.

 

The Trump administration estimated the total cost used in the first two days of the attacks on Iran at about $5.6 billion, according to a report submitted to Congress.

 

Compared with the monthly spending during the 2003 war, estimated at between $3 billion and $4 billion, the comparison shows a significant difference in favour of the current attacks.

 

 

 

 

These aircraft are the most expensive in the world, costing more than $1 billion per aircraft. They can carry conventional or nuclear weapons. Washington used them in its attacks on Iran last year to drop bunker-busting bombs on Iranian nuclear sites that were targeted.

 

 

 

 

The bomber is considered the fastest in the US Air Force and among the fastest aircraft in the world. It is designed to deliver precise, intensive strikes and can carry about 24 cruise missiles.

 

 

 

 

The cost of these drones ranges between $35,000 and $75,000. Washington used Iranian Shahed drone technology in its design and further developed it. This is the first time they have been used in combat operations.

 

 

 

 

These drones cannot be compared with cheaper unmanned aircraft, as their cost, together with the ground control station, exceeds $30 million. Their missiles cost up to $150,000.

 

They can remain airborne for up to 27 hours. They have been used in attacks on Iran for targeted assassination operations and the destruction of mobile Iranian ballistic missile launch platforms.

 

 

 

 

Trump said that once missile launch platforms appear, they are targeted within 4 minutes, suggesting the use of lasers. 

 

These aircraft use laser-guided missiles capable of striking targets inside residential areas with minimal collateral damage.

 

 

 

 

The cost of a single missile of this type is about $1.6 million, and it is launched from land.

 

These long-range missiles can reach distances exceeding 499 kilometres. They have been used in this war to target Iranian ships and other strategic targets.

 

These missiles are possessed only by the US Army. Britain and Australia have also contracted to obtain them, while production is mainly allocated to the US Army and its close allies.

 

 

 

 

A single missile costs about $2 million, and it is launched from the sea.

 

It was recently linked to an attack on an Iranian school in the city of Minab. Trump claimed that Iran might have obtained this missile from another country and that it carried out the strike on the school. 

 

However, facts about this missile indicate that Washington is extremely cautious about granting it to other countries. Only Britain and Australia have obtained it, meaning the US president's statements are inaccurate.

 

Tomahawk missiles are the most famous cruise missiles in the world. They are characterised by extremely high precision and digital target recognition. They can strike a window in a house from a distance exceeding 1,000 kilometres. Their range exceeds 1,600 kilometres. They can also change course in the air to strike moving targets.

 

 

 

 

The aircraft carrier Gerald Ford costs about $13 billion because it is the newest and most expensive naval vessel ever built.

 

The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln cost about $4.5 billion when it was built in the 1980s.

 

Both carriers are present in the Middle East. Each can carry up to 90 aircraft used in military operations.

 

 

 

 

According to the US Central Command, a group of fighter aircraft participated in the conflict with Iran. These include F-16, F/A-18, F-22, F-35, and A-10.

 

The F-22 is the most expensive, costing between $150 million and $200 million. It is no longer in production.

 

The F-35 costs between $80 million and $110 million. The United States grants it only to very close allies. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that possesses it. 

 

Both aircraft are stealth fighters.

 

Another aircraft used is the EA-18G electronic attack aircraft. Its price ranges between $100 million and $125 million. Its higher price is due to jamming systems and counter-communication systems. It also includes radars that identify hostile electronic threats and neutralise them.

 

 

 

 

 

These aircraft detect targets from extremely long distances before US fighter jets see them.

 

The first example is the E-3 Sentry aircraft, which costs up to $270 million and conducts a full scan of Iranian airspace and detects the launch of drones and ballistic missiles the moment they are launched. Fighter aircraft such as the F-15 are then directed to intercept them before they reach their targets.

 

The other aircraft is the E-2 Hawkeye, equipped with radar devices capable of identifying and tracking enemy aircraft and ships. They operate above the Ford and Lincoln aircraft carriers and are primarily responsible for protecting the naval fleet from cruise missiles, Iranian boats, and aircraft directed at maritime targets. Their cost ranges between $175 million and $230 million.

 

 

 

 

These are EA-11 aircraft, each costing about $200 million.

 

They were key to the success of air strikes and the protection of US forces. In Iran's mountainous terrain, signals between ground forces and aircraft may be cut off. These aircraft, therefore, fly at high altitude to function as an aerial communications network between different military units.

 

 

 

 

This is a high-mobility artillery rocket system and long-range precision launch platform. According to the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, the system has rapid launch and withdrawal capability. This means it can fire and move to a new location within minutes before receiving any counterattack. 

 

It can carry missiles with a range exceeding 300 miles when necessary.

 

This platform was used in attacks on Iran to destroy Iranian air defence radars such as the S-300 and S-400. This was intended to open gaps for US fighters.

 

The cost of one platform is about $5 million. Missile costs range between $160,000 and $1.5 million.

 

US Central Command announced its use in attacks on Iran. This prompted Iran to warn that it would attack any country that uses these systems against it.

 

 

 

 

The number of these aircraft worldwide is limited and does not exceed 850 aircraft. Washington owns more than 600 of them. It deployed more than 100 aircraft of the four-engine KC-135 and the twin-engine KC-46.

 

Aerial refuelling is necessary for B-2 bombers flying from the United States to the Middle East without stopping. It is also necessary for F-22 and F-35 aircraft.

 

 

 

 

Cargo aircraft, including the C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules, transport large quantities of ammunition and the forces participating in the attack on Iran.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/12 March 2026 - - -