Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker crash in Iraq kills six US service members as officials launch investigation into cause
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Mar 13, 2026, 23:17 IST
US tanker crash in Iraq kills six crew
Tragedy struck as six American airmen lost their lives in the crash of a KC-135 tanker in western Iraq, an aircraft engaged in critical operations against Iranian forces. While one KC-135 managed to land safely in Israel, this incident raises the U.S. casualty count in Operation Epic Fury to a somber total of 13.
Six crew members of a KC-135 refueling aircraft are dead following a crash in western Iraq on Thursday while supporting operations against Iran. U.S. Central Command stated the incident involved two aircraft in "friendly airspace" and that the other plane landed safely. This crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with seven others killed in combat, and approximately 140 U.S. service members injured, including eight severely. The KC-135, a long-serving aircraft, has been involved in several fatal accidents, most recently in 2013. This marks the fourth U.S. military aircraft publicly acknowledged to have crashed since the war against Iran began on February 28.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, but U.S. Central Command has stated it was "not due to hostile or friendly fire." A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the other aircraft involved was also a KC-135. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., reported on X that the second plane landed safely in Israel.
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed reporters at the Pentagon on Friday morning that the crash occurred "over friendly territory in western Iraq, while the crew was on a combat mission." He reiterated that hostile or friendly fire was not the cause.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the same news conference, referred to the crew as heroes.
“War is hell. War is chaos,” Hegseth said. “And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them.”
Hegseth and Caine made their remarks before the deaths of the six crew members were publicly announced.
Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, commented that it would be unusual for a refueling tanker to be downed by enemy fire, as these operations are typically conducted in rear combat zones.
Last week, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire, though all six crew members ejected safely.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is a U.S. Air Force aircraft designed for midair refueling, enabling other planes to extend their range and operational duration. It also serves in medical evacuation missions and surveillance. Based on the design of the Boeing 707 passenger plane, the KC-135 has been in service for over 60 years, supporting U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as allied aircraft. The aging fleet is gradually being replaced by the newer KC-46A Pegasus tankers.
Despite upgrades, the age of the KC-135 fleet has raised concerns about its reliability and durability.
“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” Yang noted, adding that the transition to the KC-46A has been slower than anticipated.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force possessed 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard, and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.
A standard KC-135 crew comprises a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator. Nurses and medical technicians are added for aeromedical evacuation missions. Refueling operations typically occur at the rear of the aircraft, where the boom operator is situated. A fuel boom extends to connect with other aircraft. In many KC-135s, the boom operator works in a prone position, looking through a window on the underside of the plane. Some KC-135s can also refuel aircraft using pods mounted on their wings. The tankers have the capacity to carry cargo or passengers if necessary.
Refueling tankers could become increasingly vital if the conflict with Iran continues, as U.S. aircraft might need to undertake longer missions to pursue Iranian forces retreating deeper into the country, Yang suggested.
KC-135 aircraft have been involved in several fatal accidents in the past. The most recent occurred on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R crashed shortly after takeoff south of Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, while supporting operations in Afghanistan. A U.S. Air Force investigation revealed that the crew experienced rudder problems. Despite their efforts to stabilize the aircraft, the tail section separated, and the plane exploded midair, resulting in the deaths of all three crew members.
A more severe midair collision involving the KC-135 occurred in 1966. A B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs collided with a tanker near Palomares, Spain. The tanker crashed, killing four people on board. This incident led to a significant decontamination effort to address nuclear material dispersed when conventional explosives within the hydrogen bombs detonated upon impact with the ground.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, but U.S. Central Command has stated it was "not due to hostile or friendly fire." A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the other aircraft involved was also a KC-135. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., reported on X that the second plane landed safely in Israel.
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed reporters at the Pentagon on Friday morning that the crash occurred "over friendly territory in western Iraq, while the crew was on a combat mission." He reiterated that hostile or friendly fire was not the cause.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the same news conference, referred to the crew as heroes.
“War is hell. War is chaos,” Hegseth said. “And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them.”
Hegseth and Caine made their remarks before the deaths of the six crew members were publicly announced.
Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, commented that it would be unusual for a refueling tanker to be downed by enemy fire, as these operations are typically conducted in rear combat zones.
Last week, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire, though all six crew members ejected safely.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is a U.S. Air Force aircraft designed for midair refueling, enabling other planes to extend their range and operational duration. It also serves in medical evacuation missions and surveillance. Based on the design of the Boeing 707 passenger plane, the KC-135 has been in service for over 60 years, supporting U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as allied aircraft. The aging fleet is gradually being replaced by the newer KC-46A Pegasus tankers.
Despite upgrades, the age of the KC-135 fleet has raised concerns about its reliability and durability.
“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” Yang noted, adding that the transition to the KC-46A has been slower than anticipated.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force possessed 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard, and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.
A standard KC-135 crew comprises a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator. Nurses and medical technicians are added for aeromedical evacuation missions. Refueling operations typically occur at the rear of the aircraft, where the boom operator is situated. A fuel boom extends to connect with other aircraft. In many KC-135s, the boom operator works in a prone position, looking through a window on the underside of the plane. Some KC-135s can also refuel aircraft using pods mounted on their wings. The tankers have the capacity to carry cargo or passengers if necessary.
Refueling tankers could become increasingly vital if the conflict with Iran continues, as U.S. aircraft might need to undertake longer missions to pursue Iranian forces retreating deeper into the country, Yang suggested.
KC-135 aircraft have been involved in several fatal accidents in the past. The most recent occurred on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R crashed shortly after takeoff south of Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, while supporting operations in Afghanistan. A U.S. Air Force investigation revealed that the crew experienced rudder problems. Despite their efforts to stabilize the aircraft, the tail section separated, and the plane exploded midair, resulting in the deaths of all three crew members.
A more severe midair collision involving the KC-135 occurred in 1966. A B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs collided with a tanker near Palomares, Spain. The tanker crashed, killing four people on board. This incident led to a significant decontamination effort to address nuclear material dispersed when conventional explosives within the hydrogen bombs detonated upon impact with the ground.