A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft squawked the emergency code 7700 after operating with its transponders disabled, according to aviation tracking sources. The aircraft appears to be returning to Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. The cause of the emergency is not yet known.
A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft squawked the emergency code 7700 on Tuesday morning after operating with its transponders disabled, according to aviation tracking sources. The aircraft appears to be returning to Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, where it originated. The cause of the emergency is not yet known.
US tanker activity has been a recurring theme in the region, as The Zioneer has reported. Previous bulletins documented KC-135 tankers taking off from Ben Gurion Airport with transponders off, operating over the Gulf, and returning to bases in Qatar. On several occasions, tankers switched transponders on and off, suggesting operational secrecy. The current emergency is the first publicly reported incident of its kind involving a tanker in this context.
The aircraft's return to Al Dhafra rather than an alternative landing site may indicate a controlled mechanical issue rather than an immediate threat. The development is being monitored by aviation tracking networks.
- DevelopingUS Air Force KC-135 tanker declares emergency over Jordan, diverting to Ben Gurion
- DevelopingUS KC-135 tankers tracked taking off from Tel Aviv, UAE toward southern Iran
- DevelopingUS F-35 fighter refuels over Middle East in routine patrol, CENTCOM says
- DevelopingThree KC-135 tankers take off from Ben Gurion with transponders off, say spotters
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake