All Six Crew Members of US Plane Were Killed
A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling tanker aircraft takes off from the Kadena Air Base airfield in Kadena town, west of Okinawa, southern Japan, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
All six service members aboard a US KC-135 aerial refueling tanker died after the aircraft went down in western Iraq while supporting military operations connected to the war with Iran, according to a statement released Friday by US Central Command, the command responsible for American forces in the Middle East.
Officials said the crash occurred following an unspecified incident involving two aircraft operating in friendly airspace. The second aircraft landed safely in Israel. Authorities did not provide details about what led to the event.
Central Command confirmed that the cause of the crash is still under investigation but stated that the aircraft was not brought down by enemy action or by friendly fire.
A US official, speaking anonymously because the situation is still developing, said the other aircraft involved in the incident was also a KC-135 refueling tanker.
According to the Associated Press, this marks the fourth US aircraft loss publicly acknowledged during the current conflict with Iran. The incident follows last week’s mistaken shootdowns of three US F-15E fighter jets by Kuwaiti forces in a friendly fire incident.
Aerial refueling tankers like the KC-135 could become even more important if the conflict continues. As Iranian forces move farther inside their country, US aircraft may be required to carry out longer missions, increasing the need for in-flight refueling support.
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