US Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq, Killing All Crew Members

A United States KC-135 refueling jet went down in Iraq on Thursday, killing all six crew members onboard the plane.

Manufactured between 1955 and 1965, Boeing's KC-135 Stratotankers are some of the oldest-serving aircraft in the US military, having been in service for more than 60 years. After considerable upgrades, the tankers are still flying with strong reliability, and no other plane has been more effective in the field of aerial refueling than the KC-135.

However, those capabilities come at a cost– each jet is valued at around $80 million, and reports suggest that the military likely spends between $4 and $5 million per year to maintain each plane. Additionally, operation costs exceed $11,000 per hour, making them extremely expensive to fly due to their age.

The jets are now being replaced with the KC-46A Pegasus, Boeing's latest generation of tankers that possess greater efficiency, require less maintenance, and have lower operation costs. Nevertheless, KC-135s are not disappearing anytime soon– some reports suggest that delays in the KC-46A testing process could extend the lifespan of the KC-135 into the 2040s.

Thursday's incident, which involved at least two KC-135s, was confirmed by the US military on Thursday, with the Central Command stating that the cause of the crash is now under investigation. However, they released very few details on the nature of the crash, simply asserting that the crash cannot be attributed to fire from the enemy or their own military.

Hostile attacks on KC-135s are rare, as refueling typically takes place in no-combat zones or areas out of the enemy's reach to avoid being struck down during the vulnerable refueling period.

According to CENTCOM, at least one other aircraft was involved in the situation, but the other KC-135 managed to return to Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport – where US refueling operations are taking place – with no damage.

All six crew members aboard were killed, unfortunately, which has raised speculation over the availability of parachutes onboard. Over a decade ago, a KC-135 crashed in Kyrgyzstan during operations involving Afghanistan, killing all three crew members. The US military later confirmed that parachutes were not onboard that plane due to maintenance costs, but the KC-135 is rarely involved in incidents and is designed with other features to ensure the safety of the crew.

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Image credit to US Air National Guard