A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California.

“A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 a.m.,” the base stated.

“Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing. More information will be provided as it becomes available,” it added.

NBC Los Angeles shared further:

Video showed black smoke rising from an area near the airfield.

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The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber used for a variety of military missions. Capable of subsonic speeds and altitudes of 50,000 feet, the bomber was a workhorse of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and has been the backbone of the United States’ bomber force for decades.

The sprawling 480-square-mile Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County is used for research, development and testing of U.S. Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software, and components.

Fox News shared a breaking news alert:

“12:48 PDT: The airfield has been closed, and all inbound aircraft are being diverted,” the base said in an update.

“All non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations,” it added.

Fox News has more:

“Please join me in praying for the B-52 crew at Edwards Air Force Base and the entire Edwards community,” Rep. Vince Fong wrote on X.

Edwards Air Force Base, California, and Air Force Pentagon headquarters referred questions to the initial announcement of the crash and declined to provide additional details.

The B-52 typically operates with a crew of five, including two pilots, a radar navigator, navigator and electronic warfare officer. The status of those on board was not immediately known.

The aircraft is one of 76 B-52s remaining in the Air Force inventory. The fleet is expected to remain in service for decades as the Air Force pursues extensive modernization upgrades.

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The nuclear-capable bomber first entered service in the 1950s and remains a central component of the U.S. strategic bomber force.

 

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