F-16 in aerial refueling incident with KC-46 over Europe

A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet and a KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft were involved in an aerial refueling incident off the coast of the Netherlands on June 27, military officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The incident was first noticed by a user on the social media site X (formerly known as Twitter), who posted audio recordings of aircraft radio and air traffic control. Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed that the recording is authentic.

A KC-46, callsign “Kanza 91,” was refueling an F-16, callsign “Warhawk,” when problems arose. Someone over the radio says an F-16, “Warhawk 3,” had “damage to the aerial refueling door” and “a piece torn out of the spine due to a stall incident too close” between the fighter and the tanker. The person later states that the damage to the plane’s spine is behind the aerial refueling door. A pilot aboard Kanza 91 then says their plane is “damaged and unable to refuel” and asked another plane to check for wires flying out of the plane’s tail. The response was not recorded.

The aircraft affected were an F-16 from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and a KC-46A from the 931st Air Refueling Squadron, an Air Force reserve unit based at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas that was deployed to Europe, a 52nd Fighter Wing spokesman told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

“The incident is currently being investigated. Pilots and flight crew have returned safely,” the spokesman said.

The Air Force did not answer questions about possible damage to the KC-46 or the F-16.

The 480th Fighter Wing, nicknamed the “Warhawks,” is the only fighter unit stationed at Spangdahlem. Open-source flight tracking data reviewed by Air & Space Forces Magazine shows that the KC-46 also took off and landed at Spangdahlem, which often serves as a bridging base for airlift and tanker aircraft.