A U.S. military aerial refueling aircraft "KC-135" was lost in western Iraq on Friday, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed, while a second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.
In a brief statement posted on the social media platform X, CENTCOM said rescue operations were underway after contact was lost with one of its military aircraft in what it described as “friendly airspace” over Iraq amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
“Two aircraft were involved in the incident,” the statement said. “One KC-135 aircraft went down in western Iraq, while the other landed safely.”
U.S. officials stressed that the crash was not the result of hostile fire or friendly fire, though the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, a cornerstone of U.S. aerial refueling capability, first entered service more than six decades ago. The aircraft typically operates with a crew of three: a pilot, a co-pilot, and a boom operator responsible for managing the refueling system used to transfer fuel to other aircraft during flight.
The crash marks at least the fourth reported loss of a U.S. military aircraft since the escalation of hostilities tied to the U.S.–Israeli war against Iran. Earlier reports indicated that three F-15 fighter jets were downed by friendly fire over Kuwait.
Rescue teams are continuing search and recovery efforts in the crash area as military authorities work to determine the exact cause of the incident.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon conducts air-to-air refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker in 2022. (Senior Airman Zachary Rufus/Air Force)
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