What Caused a Midair Crash That Killed Six U.S. Troops?

"The KC-135 Stratotankers, which carry up to 200,000 pounds of jet fuel, function as flying gas stations, extending the reach of United States and allied aircraft far from air bases. On March 12, the two tankers collided. One of the planes safely landed with a badly damaged tail; the other crashed, killing six service members, constituting almost half of U.S. military fatalities in the conflict."

"The same day, U.S. Central Command said that the crash over Iraq's western Anbar province had occurred in "friendly airspace" and had not been caused by hostile fire. Initial intelligence reports told a different story. They indicated that the U.S. government had detected anti-aircraft fire by Iran-backed militias in the area around the time of the collision and that the pilots may have been forced to take evasive actions."

"Centcom's leaders, citing different, more highly classified information, were convinced that those initial reports were mistaken. Militias had never fired surface-to-air missiles that could have threatened the aircraft, according to their assessment. The initial reports may have picked up instead on launches of missiles aimed at ground targets. That's why the Pentagon statement asserted that no hostile fire was involved and that the skies were friendly."

"An Air Force-led investigation is expected to conclude that the disaster was an "avoidable mishap" by pilots operating in congested airspace, military officials told us. Centcom's quick and definitive public assessment of the incident, despite intelligence suggesting a more complicated picture, fits a Trump-administration pattern of omitting from its public statements important details about the conduct of the war."

Two KC-135 Stratotankers were refueling aircraft over Iraq during the early phase of the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. The tankers carry large quantities of jet fuel and extend the operational reach of U.S. and allied forces. On March 12, the aircraft collided; one landed safely with severe tail damage, while the other crashed in Iraq’s western Anbar province, killing six service members. Central Command stated the crash occurred in friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile fire. Earlier intelligence reports indicated anti-aircraft fire by Iran-backed militias and possible evasive action by pilots. Central Command leaders rejected those reports using more highly classified information, concluding militias lacked surface-to-air missiles capable of threatening the aircraft. An Air Force-led investigation is expected to determine the crash was an avoidable mishap involving pilots in congested airspace.

Read at The Atlantic