politics
KC-135 Crew Had No Chance of Rescue
An American military tanker aircraft 'Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker' that crashed in western Iraq was not equipped with parachutes or a crew ejection system, according to US Air Force records analyzed by a RIA Novosti reporter. The crew of this type of aircraft once had parachutes available, but the US Air Force decided in 2008 to gradually phase out their use.
TL;DR
- The US Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker that crashed in western Iraq was not equipped with parachutes or an ejection system.
- Parachutes were phased out for this aircraft type by the US Air Force in 2008, based on assessments of low survival probabilities in emergencies.
- The construction of large transport and tanker aircraft like the KC-135 is not designed for ejection systems, which are typically used in fighter jets.
- The Pentagon and US Central Command refused to provide specific information regarding the rescue equipment on the crashed aircraft.
- Russian media cited a Russian major general suggesting the tanker might have been accidentally shot down by an Iranian missile system.
- Iran's state television reported the plane was destroyed by a missile and that no crew members survived.