On March 12, 2026, two U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft collided mid-air over western Iraq during combat operations supporting the U.S. campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.
In a statement, the United States Air Force News Service confirmed that "all six crew members aboard the first KC-135R that went down in western Iraq are now confirmed deceased." The fatalities were also documented in the Aviation Safety Network accident database.
The second aircraft lost a significant portion of its vertical stabilizer but was able to land safely at Ben Gurion Airport.
Some of the airmen killed were reportedly members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. However, the identities of the deceased service members are being withheld until next of kin are notified. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) asked for patience as officials gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of the service members involved.
Following the crash, several pro-Iranian militant groups claimed they had shot down the aircraft. U.S. military officials denied those claims. In a statement, CENTCOM said, "The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing… This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire." The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
The crash increased the number of confirmed U.S. service members killed in the Iran conflict to 13.
Aerial refueling tankers play a critical role in modern air operations, supporting long-range bomber missions, fighter aircraft, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms. During aerial refueling, aircraft must fly extremely close together—often within tens of feet. The receiving aircraft typically flies within 20–30 feet of the refueling boom, making collision risks significantly higher than during normal formation flying. As a result, aerial refueling is considered one of the most technically demanding operations in aviation.
Despite these risks, the KC-135 fleet has experienced relatively few fatal accidents in recent decades. The last major crash occurred in 2013, when a KC-135 crashed shortly after takeoff in Kyrgyzstan, killing three service members.
