U.S. B-52 Bomber Crashes Seconds After Takeoff at California Air Base

A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber crashed on Monday morning shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base, north of Los Angeles in California's Mojave Desert. The base said on social media that the aircraft went down at 11:20 a.m. Emergency crews were sent immediately and were still dealing with the incident.

CNN reported that it was not yet clear whether anyone was injured. A short video from the crash site circulated online showing smoke rising after the aircraft went down. Edwards Air Force Base said the crash happened north of Los Angeles.

The B-52 was first introduced in 1952 as a nuclear-capable bomber designed to strike the Soviet Union without needing to refuel en route. Over the decades, it has been upgraded repeatedly to improve weapons systems and adapt to new military needs.

The heavy bomber can carry more than 30 tons of bombs, including nuclear weapons and other heavy ordnance, and can also drop bunker-busting bombs. It can deliver munitions over a range of about 2,500 kilometers. The article noted its long combat history, including more than 15,000 tons of bombs dropped during the Vietnam War's Operation Linebacker 2, bunker strikes in Iraq in the 1990s, and later use in U.S. displays of force against adversaries including Iran and Russia.