Stratotanker involved in airline incident at Okinawa Air Force Base

A KC-135 Stratotanker, like the one shown here in a July 24, 2020, photo, taxis from its parking spot at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, on June 15, 2024. (Vincent De Groot/Iowa Air National Guard)

A barrier was damaged when a KC-135 Stratotanker rolled out of its parking space on the airfield at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa last week, the Air Force said Monday.

“A KC-135 assigned to the 18th Squadron rolled out of its parking spot Friday and struck a barrier after returning to Kadena Air Base,” an unsigned email from the 18th Squadron said Monday.

“There were no injuries and a safety investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the incident,” the email said.

The wing did not provide any further information about the incident.

The KC-135 is an aerial refueling aircraft capable of transferring up to 200,000 pounds of fuel in flight, enough to fully refuel 16.5 F-16 Fighting Falcons equipped with two external fuel tanks.

It is also capable of transporting stretchers and ambulatory patients during a medical evacuation.

A similar incident occurred last month when a modern F-22 Raptor fighter jet also taxied away from its parking space on the Kadena flight line.