The US Senate Armed Services Committee is reviewing a provision in the 2027 defense budget to fund the replacement of two MC‑130J Commando II aircraft and several MH‑6 Little Bird helicopters lost during a rescue operation for an F‑15E crew deep inside Iran. According to reports, the aircraft were deployed in April 2026 for a search‑and‑rescue mission, and when extraction became impossible, US forces destroyed them to prevent sensitive equipment from falling into enemy hands. The committee is now seeking appropriations to procure replacements for the lost assets.