BAGHDAD, Iraq – A U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Friday, resulting in the deaths of four crew members, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed. The incident occurred following an unspecified incident involving two aircraft operating in Iraqi airspace, with the second aircraft landing safely in Israel, according to Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter.
CENTCOM stated that rescue efforts are ongoing, but four of the six crew members aboard the KC-135 have been confirmed dead. The command indicated the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is a critical component of U.S. Air operations, providing in-flight refueling capabilities for a wide range of aircraft, extending their range and operational endurance. Military experts note the aircraft is also utilized for transporting wounded personnel during medical evacuations and conducting surveillance missions.
Based on the design of the Boeing 707 passenger plane, the KC-135 has been in service for over six decades, supporting the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as allied aircraft. However, the aging fleet is gradually being replaced by the newer KC-46A Pegasus tankers, a transition that has progressed slower than anticipated, according to Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
As of last year, the U.S. Air Force operated 376 KC-135s, including 151 in active duty, 163 within the Air National Guard, and 62 in the Air Force Reserve, according to the Congressional Research Service. A standard KC-135 crew consists of three members: a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator. Additional personnel, such as nurses and medical technicians, are added during aeromedical evacuation missions.
Refueling operations typically occur at the rear of the aircraft, where the boom operator is stationed. A boom is extended to connect with fighter jets, bombers, or other aircraft. In many cases, the boom operator works while lying prone, observing through a window on the underside of the plane. Some KC-135s are also equipped with wing-mounted pods for refueling, and the tankers can carry cargo or passengers when needed.
Yang Uk suggested that refueling tankers could become increasingly vital if the conflict with Iran escalates, potentially requiring U.S. Aircraft to undertake longer missions to pursue Iranian forces retreating deeper into the country.
This incident marks the fourth publicly acknowledged U.S. Aircraft loss during the ongoing conflict. Last week, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly fire from Kuwaiti forces. The KC-135 has been involved in previous fatal accidents, including a crash on May 3, 2013, near Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, during operations supporting the war in Afghanistan. That crash was attributed to control issues with the aircraft’s rudder, leading to a mid-air breakup and the loss of all three crew members.
A more serious mid-air collision involving a KC-135 occurred in 1966 near Palomares, Spain, when it collided with a B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs. The resulting crash led to a large-scale decontamination effort to address the dispersal of nuclear material after the bombs’ conventional explosives detonated upon impact.
