{"id":7227,"date":"2026-03-14T23:55:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T23:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/aircrew-who-died-in-kc-135-crash-likely-lacked-parachutes\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T23:55:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T23:55:30","slug":"aircrew-who-died-in-kc-135-crash-likely-lacked-parachutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/aircrew-who-died-in-kc-135-crash-likely-lacked-parachutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Aircrew who died in KC-135 crash likely lacked parachutes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Six crew members killed aboard a KC-135 that crashed in Iraq on Thursday\u2014the most recent casualties of the war on Iran\u2014likely had no parachutes, which were removed from the venerable tanker aircraft nearly two decades ago.<\/p>\n

Two aircraft were involved in the deadly incident, one of which returned safely to base. They were supporting the two-week-old Operation Epic Fury, but the incident was not the result of \u201chostile fire or friendly fire,\u201d U.S. Central Command said in a Friday news release.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The nature of the crashed KC-135\u2019s mission was not immediately clear. The other plane was also a KC-135, according to a U.S. official who talked with the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n

A CENTCOM spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions asking if the crew had access to parachutes. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Defense One <\/em>that KC-135s \u201cdo not have parachutes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Air Force leaders eliminated parachutes from the tankers nearly two decades ago to save time and money.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cRemoving parachutes from military aircraft may sound peculiar, but KC-135s are not like other aircraft. They seldom have mishaps, and the likelihood a KC-135 crew member would ever need to use a parachute is extremely low,\u201d an Air Force press release said in 2008. \u201cHowever, a lot of time, manpower and money goes into buying, maintaining and training to use parachutes. With the Air Force hungry for cost-saving efficiency under its Air Force for Smart Operations in the 21st Century Program, commonly known as AFSO 21, the parachutes were deemed obsolete.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessica Ruttenber, a former pilot and KC-135 instructor, recalled the decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a point when we were concerned about additional weight and not being fuel-efficient,\u201d Ruttenber said. \u201cI think that brought it to the likelihood of us ever needing to use the parachutes versus the weight and the upkeep, [and] the cost.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the parachutes were removed, interior harnesses were installed for use when, say, a light indicates that a door is loose.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ruttenber said that if the crew had parachutes, they\u2019d be in the back of the aircraft where the boom operator is. Given their location, bailing out of a KC-135 would be a safe possibility only under a few scenarios.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the situation that would warrant jumping out of the plane is a low-fuel situation, that you\u2019re not going to be able to make it to a landable surface, or the aircraft no longer has the ability to land,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you have an uncontrolled situation that\u2019s rapidly occurring and it\u2019s violent, you\u2019re not going to have time as an option.\u201d<\/p>\n

The last deadly KC-135 mishap was in 2013, when a crew of three crashed in the Kyrgyz Republic after the flight control system malfunctioned during a combat aerial refueling mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Top Air Force officials have repeatedly called for modernizing the KC-135, the last of which was built more than 60 years ago. Last year, the Air Force weighed keeping the tanker in service past its originally planned 2050 retirement date.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In July, the Air Force cancelled a \u201cbridge buy\u201d for an interim tanker as the service pursued a new-generation refueler in a program called NGAS, which netted just $13 million in the 2026 budget request. Instead, the service decided to buy additional KC-46s, despite the program\u2019s recurring headwinds and mishaps.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Air Force is investing in both tanker capacity and capability to enable the Joint Force now and into the future by ensuring an uninterrupted recapitalization of KC -135 aircraft with KC-46 aircraft,\u201d a service spokesperson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The identities of the aircrew killed in Thursday\u2019s crash have not yet been released by the Defense Department. In his Friday morning press conference at the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs chairman asked people to remember the aircrew and those around them.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease keep these brave airmen, their families, friends, and units in your thoughts,\u201d Caine said. \u201cIn the coming hours and days, our service members make an incredible sacrifice to go forward and do the things that the nation asks of them.”\n\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/div>\n