Wreckage from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft is strewn across a field near the village of Chaldovar, about 100 miles west of the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Friday. The emergencies ministry in Kyrgyzstan says a US military plane has crashed in the country. Kyrgyzstan hosts a US base that is used for troops going into and out of Afghanistan and for KC-135 tanker planes that refuel warplanes in flight.

Wreckage from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft is strewn across a field near the village of Chaldovar.

The wreckage of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker plane is seen at the site of the crash near the Kyrgyz village of Chaldovar. A U.S. military refuelling plane on its way to Afghanistan exploded in mid air and crashed in Kyrgyzstan on Friday when its cargo of fuel ignited, the Central Asian country's Emergencies Ministry said. The aircraft took off from the U.S. military transit centre at Kyrgyzstan's international Manas airport, which U.S. forces maintain for operations in Afghanistan, with around 70 tons of fuel on board, a local ministry official said.

Protesters lay down on the entrance road to Creech Air Force Base, home to the Predator and Reaper drones, to block traffic to the base during an anti-drone demonstration on Wednesday in Indian Springs, Nev. Ten people were arrested during the demonstration which was held by the Nevada Desert Experience group that holds an annual peace walk over five days from Las Vegas to the Nevada National Security Site.

John Amidon holds up a model of an Air Force drone while protesting outside Creech Air Force Base.

Retired Navy officer Phil Frank waves to cars entering Creech Air Force Base, home of the Predator and Reaper drones, to show his support for troops as members of the Nevada Desert Experience group hold an anti-drone demonstration.

A protester is escorted by Las Vegas Metro Police officers after being arrested for blocking traffic at the entrance of Creech Air Force Base.

Col. Jeannie Leavitt, right, salutes 9th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Lawrence Wells after assuming command of the 4th Fighter Wing on Friday, June 1, 2012. Leavitt, the Air Force's first female fighter pilot, has now become the first female to take command of an Air Force combat fighter wing.

Game to remember: US Air Force Master Sgt. David Sims, center right, of Centerville, Ga., is embraced by his wife Robin, and children, Bree Anna, 10, from left, Brittney, 13, and Dustin, 12, after surprising his family during the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, May 28, in Atlanta. Sims returned home from his deployment in Afghanistan

Sims and his wife, Robin, in Atlanta after surprising his family from his deployment in Afghanistan.

Air Force cadets celebrate during their graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. on May 23.

Graduates of U.S. Air Force class of 2012 celebrate as they are greeted by President Barack Obama during their graduation ceremony at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. on May 23.

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadets, lower their heads during the Invocation at the start of the commencement ceremony on May 23 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

President Barack Obama salutes as he arrives to deliver commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. on May 23.

A Libyan Airforce pilot (4th right) walks next to his Mirage F1 fighter jet after landing at Malta International Airport outside Valletta on Feb. 21. Two Libyan Air Force fighter pilots defected on Monday and flew their jets to Malta where they told authorities they had been ordered to bomb protesters, Maltese government officials said. They said the two pilots, both colonels, took off from a base near Tripoli. One of them has requested political asylum.