Second Battle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Transits UK After Iran Conflict
A heavily damaged KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard, missing its refueling boom and covered in shrapnel patches, was photographed at RAF Mildenhall in the UK after arriving from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. This is at least the second such battle-damaged tanker to transit the base following the now-paused war with Iran. The damage may have occurred during an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. The aircraft is expected to proceed to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for repairs.
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Second Battle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Transits RAF Mildenhall After Iran Conflict
A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, heavily damaged by shrapnel and missing its refueling boom, was photographed at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. This is at least the second such battle-damaged tanker to pass through the base, following a similar aircraft from the Ohio Air National Guard last month. The damage is attributed to the now-paused war with Iran, possibly from a long-range Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 14, though flight data suggests the aircraft may have been hit elsewhere. The tanker arrived from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, where dozens of U.S. refueling aircraft remain deployed. The aircraft will likely proceed to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for comprehensive repairs. The article notes that field repairs on these aging tankers provide valuable real-world training for potential future conflicts.
The War ZoneAnother Battle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Seen Passing Through RAF Mildenhall
A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, tail number 63-8028, was spotted at RAF Mildenhall in the UK with extensive shrapnel damage and temporary repairs, including damage to the tail, vertical stabilizer, flaps, and a missing refueling boom. The aircraft arrived from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, where dozens of U.S. refueling aircraft are deployed. This is at least the second battle-damaged KC-135 to transit through Mildenhall, following a similar aircraft from the Ohio Air National Guard last month. The damage is attributed to Iranian strikes during the now-paused war, possibly from the March 14 attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, though the exact origin of this jet's damage is unclear. The aircraft is expected to proceed to Tinker Air Force Base for comprehensive repairs.
The War ZoneSecond Battle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Transits RAF Mildenhall After Iran Conflict
A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, heavily damaged by shrapnel and missing its refueling boom, was photographed at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. This is at least the second such battle-damaged tanker to pass through the base following the now-paused war with Iran. The aircraft, tail number 63-8028, arrived from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. It is unclear if it was damaged in the March 14 Iranian long-range strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, which reportedly hit five tankers, as flight data shows it operated from Tel Aviv before and after that attack. The jet is likely en route to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for comprehensive repairs. The article notes that dozens of US refueling aircraft remain deployed to Ben Gurion Airport, causing operational difficulties, and that the damage provides real-world battle damage repair experience for potential future conflicts.
The War ZoneAnother Battle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Seen Passing Through RAF Mildenhall
A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, heavily damaged by shrapnel, was spotted at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. The aircraft, tail number 63-8028, arrived from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and is at least the second such tanker to transit the base with battle damage from the now-paused war with Iran. The jet shows extensive shrapnel patches on its tail, vertical stabilizer, flaps, and is missing its refueling boom. It is unclear where the aircraft was struck; five tankers were reportedly damaged in an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 14, but flight data suggests this jet may have been hit elsewhere. The tanker is expected to eventually proceed to Tinker Air Force Base for comprehensive repairs. The article notes that dozens of U.S. refueling aircraft remain deployed to Ben Gurion Airport, causing operational difficulties.
The War ZoneAnother Battle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Transits Through RAF Mildenhall
A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, heavily damaged by shrapnel and missing its refueling boom, was photographed at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. The aircraft, tail number 63-8028, arrived from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, where dozens of US refueling aircraft are deployed. This is at least the second such damaged tanker seen at Mildenhall, highlighting the toll of the now-paused war with Iran. The jet's damage includes patches on the tail, vertical stabilizer, flaps, and spoilers. It is unclear if the damage occurred during the March 14 Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, as flight data shows the jet operated from Tel Aviv before and after that attack. The aircraft is expected to eventually proceed to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for comprehensive repairs.
The War ZoneBattle-Damaged KC-135 Tanker Transits Through RAF Mildenhall
A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, heavily damaged by shrapnel and missing its refueling boom, was photographed at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. The aircraft, tail number 63-8028, arrived from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. It is at least the second battle-damaged KC-135 to transit through the base, following a similar aircraft from the Ohio Air National Guard last month. The damage is attributed to Iranian strikes during the now-paused war, possibly linked to the March 14 long-range strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, though the exact location of the damage remains unclear. The aircraft is expected to proceed to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for comprehensive repairs. The article notes that the battle damage repair exercise provides valuable real-world lessons for potential future conflicts.
The War Zone