One of the most impressive strikes against the United States in recent decades and certainly the most notable for the 21st century occurred in Saudi Arabia at Prince Sultan Air Base.
An Iranian attack caused serious damage to at least five American KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft of the United States Air Force, constituting one of the most significant confirmed strikes on American air assets in recent years.
This development may seriously affect the ability of the United States and Israel to continue their air operations against Iran, as refueling aircraft constitute a critical element for the operational range of fighter jets and bombers.
Also causing great impression among military analysts is the effectiveness of the pro-Iranian militias of Iraq, which are emerging as a decisive factor in the military confrontation.
?US Tankers Hit in Saudi Arabia
— BZ (@BZKanging) March 14, 2026
Reports indicate 5 US refueling tankers were damaged in an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base. ????
This follows the loss of 6 crew members in a KC-135 crash in Iraq earlier this week. The US is now reportedly evacuating strategic… pic.twitter.com/9Lkh72LLv8
The strike that shocked the Pentagon
According to information cited by the newspaper Wall Street Journal, the strike occurred on 13 March 2026, just one day after a series of attacks carried out by the pro-Iranian paramilitary organization Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
The organization announced that it carried out two successful attacks against American KC-135 refueling aircraft, which were flying over the airspace of Iraq.
In one of the incidents, one aircraft was shot down, resulting in the death of six members of the United States Air Force.
The extent of the losses from the strike at the base in Saudi Arabia has not yet been clarified, however the damage to the aircraft is considered significant, as admitted by Military Watch Magazine.
The huge concentration of American aircraft before the attack
Before the start of the air strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February, a large concentration of American air assets had preceded in the Middle East.
Satellite images from China at the end of February revealed:
1) 16 KC-135 Stratotanker at Prince Sultan Air Base
2) 6 E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft (early warning and control aircraft)
3) an additional 16 KC-135 at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar
Refueling aircraft are considered vital for the execution of long-range air missions, as they allow fighters to remain in the air for many hours and operate over long distances.
Large losses for the United States
Despite indications that American forces have suffered significant losses, the real scale of the damage has not been fully disclosed.
In many cases, losses become known only after visual material appears that confirms them.
At the same time, several American military bases in the Persian Gulf are reported to have suffered serious damage from Iranian attacks.
This has forced American fighter aircraft to operate from more distant bases, dramatically increasing the need for aerial refueling.
Why the KC-135 is so critical
The KC-135 Stratotanker constitutes the backbone of the refueling fleet of the United States Air Force.
Although the United States possesses the largest fleet of refueling aircraft in the world, the age of many of them constitutes a serious problem.
Most KC-135 aircraft were built during the period of the Cold War, which implies increased maintenance needs, reduced availability and high operating cost.
If the losses continue, there is a serious risk that significant pressure will be created on the operational capabilities of the United States Air Force.
من قطر للسعودية ??
— AHMAD SLMAN (@ahmadslmanx) June 21, 2025
امريكا نقلت قوتها من قاعدة العديد الجوية في قطر إلى قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية في السعودية.
تم نشر حوالي 22 طائرة مقاتلة من طراز KC-135 Stratotanker التابعة للقوات الجوية الأمريكية، و53 طائرة مقاتلة من طراز F-16/F-15، و10 طائرات من طراز C-130 في القاعدة pic.twitter.com/WOcCkeVOnV
The problems of the new KC-46 program
The situation becomes even more complicated due to the problems faced by the new KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft program.
The program has received intense criticism due to serious technical problems, among them malfunction of the remote vision system used for refueling, problems in the refueling boom mechanism and leaks in the fuel system.
Because of these problems, the United States Air Force had previously even been forced to temporarily suspend orders of the aircraft.
In addition, the availability rate of the KC-46 remains extremely low, which does not yet allow the full replacement of the older KC-135.
New threat - Long-range anti-aircraft weapons
The vulnerability of American air operations has led several countries to develop advanced long-range weapons, specially designed to destroy high-value targets such as refueling aircraft.
Among them are:
1) the Chinese air-to-air missile PL-17 with a range of up to 500 kilometers
2) the Russian R-37M, with a range of about 400 kilometers
3) the Russian anti-aircraft missile 40N6, also with a range of about 400 kilometers
Such systems create asymmetric threats to American air power, as they allow the targeting of critical support aircraft from very long distances.
The possible involvement of the Su-35 and the R-37M
Before the start of the attacks against Iran, there were estimates that Tehran would in the future receive Su-35 fighter aircraft equipped with R-37M missiles.
This delivery was expected to take place in 2026, however the military conflict that began on 28 February may have overturned these plans.
The United States urgently needs a new generation stealth tanker
The increasing vulnerability of refueling aircraft has triggered intense discussions in the United States about the development of a new generation of tanker aircraft with stealth characteristics.
However, the implementation of such a program is considered extremely difficult for two main reasons:
1) The enormous development cost
2) The already large pressures on the budget of the United States Air Force
At the same time, the difficulties faced even by the relatively more conservative KC-46 program create serious doubts about whether an even more ambitious plan can be implemented soon.
Turning point in the war
The strike by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base may prove to be a turning point in the conflict.
If losses in refueling aircraft continue, the air operations of the United States and Israel will face serious limitations.
In a war where air power constitutes the main factor of strategic superiority, the loss of even a few critical support aircraft can dramatically change the balance of forces in the Middle East.
The first shock with the downing of the KC-135
Particular concern in the Pentagon was caused on 13/3 by the confirmed loss of the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, which was shot down while flying over the airspace of Iraq.
According to information published after the incident, the aircraft was attacked during a mission supporting United States and Israeli air operations related to the conflict with Iran.
The downing of the aircraft had tragic consequences for the American armed forces.
Six members of the United States Air Force were killed, marking one of the most serious personnel losses of the recent operations in the Middle East.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which stated that it used anti-aircraft means to strike the aircraft. 
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