KC-135 Stratotanker Losses, Crashes & Deliveries
Every recorded loss, crash, shoot-down, retirement and delivery involving the KC-135 Stratotanker, each with a date and source. See the KC-135 Stratotanker overview.
Events at a glance
Events per year
2022–2026
2026 is a partial year: the bars run to 22 Sep 2026.
By event type
5 events logged · 2 losses
These totals count what GlobalMilitary.net has logged from public reports since 2022, not a complete register: an event we have not recorded is not an event that did not happen. Coverage of the tracked wars is much denser than coverage of peacetime events, so the two do not compare directly.
Data updates · weekly digest
New events land here daily. Get the week's losses, deliveries and inventory changes in one email every Monday. 1,151 updates logged in the last 30 days.
KC-135 Stratotanker losses, crashes & deliveries
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MAY 282026
KC-135R/T
Damaged
🇺🇸 United States · Two KC-135R tankers damaged in a ground towing accident at RAF Mildenhall; one tanker's stabilizer struck the adjacent aircraft's, leaving tearing and deformation. Repaired on the ramp within days; no injuries.
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MAR 272026
KC-135R/T
Destroyed
🇺🇸 United States · KC-135R Stratotanker destroyed by fire at Prince Sultan Air Base during Iranian missile and drone attack; satellite imagery confirmed airframe loss.
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MAR 132026
KC-135R/T
Damaged
🇺🇸 United States · Five KC-135R/T Stratotankers damaged by Iranian ballistic missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base flight line; none destroyed, all expected to return to service.
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MAR 122026
KC-135R/T
Crash
🇺🇸 United States · KC-135R Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq near Turaibil after mid-air collision with another KC-135 during Operation Epic Fury; 6 crew aboard killed.
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MAR 122026
KC-135R/T
Damaged
🇺🇸 United States · Second KC-135 in the western Iraq mid-air collision lost part of its vertical stabilizer; landed safely at Ben Gurion.