U.S. Central Command says the tanker went down in western Iraq following an incident involving another aircraft while operating in friendly airspace.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A U.S. military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while supporting operations connected to the war against Iran, killing four of the six crewmembers on board, according to U.S. Central Command.
Officials said the aircraft, a KC-135 Stratotanker used to refuel other planes during flight, went down after an unspecified incident involving two aircraft operating in what the military described as friendly airspace. The second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.
U.S. Central Command said four of the six personnel aboard the tanker have been confirmed dead while search and rescue operations continue for the remaining crew members. The command also said investigators are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Officials said the loss of the aircraft was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”
A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity because the situation is still developing said the second aircraft involved in the incident was also a KC-135 refueling tanker. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter wrote on X that the other aircraft involved in the incident landed safely in Israel.
The crash occurred during ongoing military operations in the region and marks the fourth publicly acknowledged U.S. aircraft loss connected to the conflict with Iran.
Security analyst Yang Uk of South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies said it would be unusual for a refueling tanker to be shot down during combat operations.
He noted that tanker aircraft typically operate behind the primary combat zone rather than in areas where they would be directly exposed to enemy fire.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is a long-serving U.S. Air Force aircraft designed primarily to refuel other military planes in midair. By transferring fuel during flight, tankers allow fighters, bombers and surveillance aircraft to remain airborne for extended missions without landing.
In addition to aerial refueling, the aircraft can also transport wounded personnel during aeromedical evacuation missions or carry cargo and passengers when required.
The design of the KC-135 is based on the Boeing 707 passenger aircraft and has been in operational service for more than six decades. The aircraft supports missions for the U.S. Air Force as well as refueling operations for Navy, Marine Corps and allied aircraft.
Despite upgrades made over the years, the aircraft’s age has drawn attention from defense analysts.
“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” Yang said, noting that the transition to newer tankers has progressed more slowly than anticipated.
The U.S. Air Force has been working to replace the aging fleet with the newer KC-46A Pegasus tanker, though the transition remains ongoing.
According to data compiled by the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force operated 376 KC-135 aircraft last year. Of those, 151 were assigned to active-duty units, while 163 were operated by the Air National Guard and 62 were assigned to the Air Force Reserve.
A standard KC-135 crew consists of three members: a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator. Additional personnel such as nurses and medical technicians may be added when the aircraft is configured for aeromedical evacuation missions.
During aerial refueling operations, the boom operator is stationed at the rear of the aircraft and controls a telescoping fuel boom that connects to the receiving aircraft. On many KC-135 aircraft, the boom operator performs this task while lying face down and looking through a viewing window on the underside of the plane.
Some tankers are also equipped with wing-mounted refueling pods that allow them to refuel certain aircraft types using a hose-and-drogue system.
Military analysts say tanker aircraft could play an increasingly important role if the conflict with Iran continues for an extended period, particularly if U.S. combat aircraft must fly longer missions to track Iranian forces operating deeper within the country.
The KC-135 fleet has experienced several fatal accidents over its decades of service.
One of the most recent occurred on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R tanker crashed shortly after takeoff near Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, while supporting operations in Afghanistan. A U.S. Air Force investigation later found the aircraft suffered a rudder malfunction during the flight. As the crew attempted to regain control, the aircraft’s tail section separated and the plane broke apart in midair, killing all three crewmembers.
Another widely documented accident occurred in 1966 when a B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons collided with a KC-135 tanker near Palomares, Spain.
The collision caused the tanker to crash, killing all four crew members aboard. Conventional explosives in several of the bomber’s hydrogen bombs detonated when they struck the ground, dispersing nuclear material and triggering an extensive international cleanup operation.
Investigators are continuing to examine the cause of the most recent crash in Iraq as search operations remain underway for the missing crew members.
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