B52 Bomber crashes shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base

A b52 bomber, a B-52 Stratofortress, crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County on Monday around 11:20 a.m. Emergency crews responded to the scene near the base, which sits northeast of Lancaster.

Edwards Air Force Base

The Air Force and NASA conduct test flights of new and developmental aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, adding weight to any incident on or near the runway. The base is also tied to operations involving aircraft that are meant to fly long distances and carry large crews.

B-52 Stratofortress

The aircraft involved typically carries a crew of five. Built by Boeing and first introduced in the 1950s, the B-52 Stratofortress is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons over long distances.

It has also been used in conflicts ranging from Vietnam to operations in the Iran war, making the crash notable beyond the local base. Additional details were not available after the incident, leaving the immediate next step with emergency crews and the Air Force response at the scene.