A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after taking off from a base in California, with the extent of any casualties still unknown.
On Monday, 15 June 2026, Edwards Air Force Base in southern California announced that a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber "crashed shortly after taking off from the runway."
The incident occurred at 11:20 a.m. local time on Monday, producing a large plume of black smoke visible for miles. "Emergency rescue teams immediately responded to the scene, and the situation remains ongoing. Further updates will be provided as information becomes available," the base stated in a release.
Normally, this aircraft model operates with a crew of five, including the aircraft commander, pilot, radar navigator, navigator, and electronic warfare officer. However, the military has not yet confirmed whether there were any injuries in this crash.
Later, the base updated via the X platform stating, "The runway has now been closed, and all inbound flights are being redirected to alternate locations."
"Additionally, all non-commercial visitor passes are temporarily suspended until further notice, allowing the base to fully focus on emergency response operations," the statement added.
The B-52 is a long-range strategic bomber nicknamed "the Buff," a partial acronym for "Big Ugly Fat." The U.S. military has operated the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress since the 1950s, and it was used in recent airstrike operations against Iran.
This massive bomber can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet, compared to commercial airliners that cruise around 35,000 feet. It can carry up to 70,000 pounds of bombs, including hundreds of conventional bombs and 32 nuclear-capable cruise missiles.
It is also capable of aerial refueling, theoretically granting it unlimited strike range. During the Cold War, this capability contributed to the United States' "nuclear umbrella."
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Source:bbc