US War Costs Against Iran Projected to Exceed Rp 17 Quadrillion, a Burden on Future Generations?

NEW YORK, KOMPAS.com - The cost of the United States (US)-Israel alliance’s war against Iran is projected to reach more than $1 trillion. This figure is equivalent to Rp 17,129 trillion, assuming an exchange rate of Rp 17,129 per US dollar. For context, a Pentagon report indicates that the war costs amounted to $11.3 billion in the first six days. Currently, a ceasefire is still in effect, while efforts to achieve a long-term resolution have proven difficult. “I am confident we will reach the $1 trillion mark for the war against Iran,” said Harvard Kennedy School public policy expert Linda Bilmes, quoted from CNBC on Tuesday (14/4/2026). In her research, this military operation is predicted to have disastrous consequences for US national debt far into the future. She estimates that initial short-term costs will reach around $2 billion per day during the 40-day conflict. This amount includes the price of ammunition, troops, and damage to military assets, such as the shooting down of three F-15 fighter jets by friendly fire from Kuwait. Bilmes believes the short-term costs are higher than they appear on paper. This is because the Pentagon reports figures based on historical inventory values, not the actual current replacement costs for those assets, which are usually much higher. “This gap is one reason why the reported $11.3 billion figure is closer to $16 billion, and it reflects the ongoing disparity between what the Pentagon reports in real time and the actual cost of war,” she explained. Bilmes added that large, long-term contracts with Lockheed Martin and Boeing for interceptor aircraft and missiles mean the replenishment costs for the US will be far higher. The US needs at least $4 million per aircraft. By comparison, the drones fired from Iran can be produced for just $30,000 per unit.