A U.S. Air Force refueling tanker went down in Iraq during the ongoing air campaign against Iran. A second aircraft landed safely. Rescue operations are underway — and the crew’s fate remains unknown.
A U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on the evening of March 12 during Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command confirmed, with rescue operations underway and the fate of the crew unknown.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees American combat operations across the Middle East, said the loss was not caused by hostile action or friendly fire.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” CENTCOM said. “Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely.”
The Pentagon said additional information would be released as the situation develops. No details on the condition of the downed aircraft or the status of its crew were provided.
The presence of a second aircraft suggests the crash may have stemmed from a catastrophic error or mechanical failure during an in-flight refueling attempt. CBS News reported the second aircraft involved was also a KC-135.
Open-source flight tracking data showed two USAF KC-135s operating over Iraq during the evening hours of March 12, though it was not immediately clear whether either was the aircraft that went down.
The Stratotanker crash marks the fourth U.S. aircraft lost since the start of the Iran air campaign and potentially the first to result in American aircrew casualties.
Three Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle fighters were shot down earlier in the conflict, the result of friendly fire by either ground-based air defenses or Kuwaiti fighters. All six crew members across the three two-seat jets ejected safely.
The KC-135 loss comes as hundreds of U.S. combat jets and transport aircraft have been operating over the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the air corridor connecting those theaters to key bases in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Long-range bomber sorties into Iranian airspace have been conducted from both the United Kingdom and North America, operations that depend heavily on continuous aerial refueling support.
At least 20 USAF tanker aircraft were forward-deployed to the Middle East by the end of February, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, underscoring the scale of the refueling commitment required to sustain round-the-clock combat operations.
Key Takeaways
- A USAF Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on the evening of March 12 during Operation Epic Fury; rescue operations are ongoing and the crew’s fate is unknown.
- CENTCOM confirmed the loss was not caused by hostile action or friendly fire; a second aircraft — also reported to be a KC-135 — landed safely.
- The crash marks the fourth U.S. aircraft lost in the Iran air campaign and potentially the first to result in American aircrew casualties.
- Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles were previously downed by friendly fire; all six crew members ejected safely.
- At least 20 USAF tanker aircraft were forward-deployed to the Middle East by late February to support an extensive air campaign involving hundreds of U.S. combat jets.
