Eight government contractors and uniformed military members were killed when a B-52 Bomber crashed shortly after taking off at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert Monday morning. The plane crashed around 11:20 a.m. and immediately burst into flames; in a subsequent news conference Col. James Hayes, the deputy commander for the 412 test wing at Edwards said it had been determined that no one could have survived the crash. The victims’ identities have not been made public as of the time this story published.Â
Officials are not yet certain what could have caused the tragic crash, and it could take up to six months to complete the investigation. Hayes said the B-52 was supporting the “radar modernization program.” Boeing, the manufacturer of the B-52, had recently updated the aircraft with a new radar system, and delivered it to Edwards in 2025, AP News reports:
“A test team planned to conduct ground and flight test activities on the aircraft throughout 2026 to feed a production decision, the air force said in a 2025 news release. The modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system replaced the aircraft’s antiquated radar for efficacy. It was unclear if that was the same aircraft involved in Monday’s crash.”
Yes, we still use Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses, the same planes that entered service in the ’60s
If you’re like me, you might be surprised to learn that the U.S. Air Force still uses B-52 Stratofortress long-range bombers. Not only have the planes been in service since 1955, the Air Force plans to operate them through 2050. The hulking machine is designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, and it has been used in conflicts from Vietnam to Iran.Â
The B-52s that fly today are somewhat upgraded when compared to their first form, now powered by eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/ 103 turbofan jet engines, each of which produce up to 17,000-pounds of thrust.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the B-52A first flew in 1954, and the B model entered service in 1955. The models that are still used today are called B-52H’s, with the last one ever built in October 1962. Only the H model is still in the Air Force inventory and, as of 2019, the Air Force had 58 active force B-52 Hs, and 18 in reserve. It has flown in more conflicts than any other aircraft, and it’s allegedly got another nearly 25 years of service left.
