A damaged U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker has left Ben Gurion Airport in Israel for the United States after repairs following a fatal mid-air collision over Iraq in March. The aircraft, serial 63-8017, had spent about four and a half months on the ground after losing a large section of its tail but returning safely to land in Israel.
The tanker was one of two KC-135s involved in the 13 March collision while supporting U.S. operations tied to strikes in Iran. The other aircraft was lost and all six crew members aboard were killed. Repair work included fitting a replacement vertical stabiliser from another KC-135, allowing the aircraft to become flyable again.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft beginning its trip home on 2 August, with one report placing it through RAF Mildenhall in the UK during the transit. The accident remains classified in public reporting as a non-hostile incident, and detailed findings from the U.S. military have not been released publicly.