The U.S. military has encountered significant challenges in deploying its aerial refueling fleet during operations against Iran, according to the German outlet Bild.

The report suggests that the scale of the losses forced the Pentagon to turn to reserve aircraft. These planes had been stored at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona-often referred to as the «aircraft graveyard».

The difficulties follow a series of incidents earlier this year. In March, two KC-135 Stratotankers collided over Iraq, resulting in the loss of one aircraft. In the aftermath, five more refueling planes sustained damage during attacks attributed to Iranian forces.

To offset these setbacks, the United States has reactivated at least two tanker aircraft from storage. Among them is a KC-135 built in 1958, now approaching seven decades in age.

As Bild notes, Davis-Monthan has long served as a storage site for decommissioned military aircraft, some of which can be restored to operational status when needed.