U.S. KC-135 Refueling Tanker Crashes In Western Iraq
KC-135 went down during Operation Epic Fury; rescue operations underway and CENTCOM says incident wasn't caused by hostile or friendly fire.
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Overview
A U.S. KC-135 aerial refueling tanker crashed in western Iraq on Thursday and recovery operations are underway, U.S. Central Command said.
CENTCOM said the aircraft was operating in support of Operation Epic Fury and that the loss was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
A second KC-135 was involved and landed safely, and a U.S. official said the downed tanker had at least five crew members aboard whose status is unknown.
This is the fourth U.S. aircraft loss since 28 February, after three F-15E Strike Eagles were downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire; U.S. statements say seven troops have been killed and about 140 to 150 wounded.
CENTCOM said more information will be provided as the situation develops and asked for patience while it gathers details for families of service members.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this story neutrally, relying on official statements and factual detail. they attribute cause uncertainty to CENTCOM and quote its "not due to hostile or friendly fire" line, use anonymous officials for developing details, and supply background on prior losses and the KC-135's role—choices that emphasize facts over editorial judgment.
FAQ
The specific cause of the crash remains unclear. U.S. Central Command confirmed the incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury and was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, but did not provide details on what led to the crash. Two aircraft were involved in the incident, with one KC-135 going down in western Iraq and another landing safely, suggesting a refueling operation may have been underway.
Yes, this is the first loss of a KC-135 in 13 years. The previous KC-135 crash occurred in May 2013 in Kyrgyzstan, where the aircraft crashed in the foothills of mountains immediately after takeoff to support operations over Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of three Airmen.[2]
The KC-135 crash is the fourth crewed aircraft to be downed during operations against Iran. On March 1, three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighters were shot down in a friendly fire incident by Kuwait F/A-18 aircraft, with all six crew members safely ejecting.[2]
As of March 10, seven U.S. service members have died in the war, with approximately 140 wounded. Additional casualties include six Soldiers killed in an Iranian strike in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, and another Soldier killed at Prince Sultan Air Base. Most of the injured have returned to duty.
The KC-135 is the backbone of U.S. and coalition aerial refueling operations. Every strike package, deep penetration mission, fighter escort, and bomber sortie depends on these crews for in-flight refueling support.[3]
