The KC-135R Stratotanker that was damaged by Iran at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia was spotted shortly before its return flight to the United States for repairs.
The sighting was captured on video by photographer Mark Lynham, who shared footage of the aircraft on his social media. At the time, the KC-135R Stratotanker was transiting through the United Kingdom after its turbulent deployment in the Middle East amid ongoing tensions involving Iran.
After returning to the U.S., the aircraft is expected to undergo a detailed technical assessment to determine the extent of the damage. If recovery is deemed feasible, it will undergo a large-scale overhaul aimed at correcting the issues and restoring it to full operational status.
According to the website The Aviationist, the KC-135R Stratotanker had been deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base in early March. In the weeks following its arrival, the base was targeted by multiple Iranian attacks.
The most notable of these attacks was the complete destruction of aircraft 81-0005, one of the few remaining E-3G Sentry AWACS aircraft in the U.S. Air Force. Although there are few additional confirmed details about the attacks, unverified information suggests that a U.S. Air Force EC-130H Compass Call aircraft and a KC-46 Pegasus may also have sustained damage.
Photo and video: Instagram @marklynham. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
