The US Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base was undergoing a test upgrade of aging B-52 bombers with new engines and radar systems when one of the planes crashed on Monday, killing eight people, officials said.
The tests, along with planned improvements to the bomb, are the latest in what has been a long history of an aircraft that has undergone more than half a dozen modifications and has been in the American arsenal for more than 70 years.
The B-52 is considered a legendary workhorse, remaining an important part of the military fleet for decades due to the continuous development of the aircraft.
It is still unclear what caused the fatal crash at Edwards Air Force Base just after 11 a.m., sending a plume of smoke into the base. In a press conference, Col. James Hayes said the B-52 that crashed was supporting a “radar development program.”
Edwards Air Force Base officials confirmed that the plane crashed shortly after takeoff on a “routine test mission.” They refused to reveal the victims until relatives were notified.
The airport remained closed Tuesday after overnight crews battled small fires in the area.
Air Force officials announced in May and December that the B-52s would be tested at Edwards Air Force Base as the Defense Department looked to upgrade the aircraft’s engines and radar.
Efforts to develop and create a new version of the B-52 bomber have been ongoing for decades, making it a constant presence in the country’s armed conflicts from the Vietnam War to the Gulf and Iraq wars.
“Some of these planes are literally twice the age of the pilots flying them,” said Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines pilot and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts. But, he added, “if you take care of the plane, you can fly forever, basically.”
In December, Air Force officials announced that the B-52 Stratofortress had been moved from Boeing’s facility in San Antonio to Edwards Air Force Base after being fitted with a new radar system. The plane, according to the statement, was supposed to undergo a series of tests in 2026.
The Air Force did not say whether that B-52 crashed.
In May, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced that Boeing would replace two B-52H aircraft at its San Antonio facility. The plan was to replace the 1960s-era TF33 engines with F130 Rolls-Royce engines – and test them at Edwards Air Force Base.
Pentagon officials referred questions to the US Air Force. US Air Force officials and officials at Edwards Air Force Base did not immediately respond to questions Tuesday.
As of November 2025, the Air Force fleet of B-52s is assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and the Air Force Reserve Command’s 307th Bomb Wing also at Barkdale, according to the Air Force.
But some of the Air Force’s B-52s were taken to Edwards Air Force Base for testing.
Military officials have not released the details of those on board at the time of the crash but, in a statement, Boeing confirmed that two of its employees were among the crew.
As it happens, test teams are sometimes accompanied by contractors, so they can ask questions about the technology, said Brian Sinclair, a retired Navy test pilot who graduated from the Air Force’s Test Pilot School and now owns the consulting firm 3WIRE Solutions.
“Edwards, of the Air Force, is the heart of developmental testing,” he said.
When Sinclair flew F-18s in Iraq, he said he often saw B-52s flying over him.
“They have an incredible load capacity,” Sinclair said. “They can drop a lot of ammunition and they can carry these laws too far.”
The first B-52, known as the B-52A, first flew in 1954 but, for more than 70 years, the heavy bomber has undergone a series of changes and improvements.
It has a range of 8,000 miles but, because it can refuel in the air, the ship can stay in flight for a long time. According to the US Air Force, it also has a payload capacity of 70,000 kilograms.
As of November, a total of 58 B-52Hs are in service, with another 18 on reserve, according to the US Air Force.
“Although the airframe from the original concept is quite old, the Air Force continues to improve it,” said JF Joseph, a retired pilot and US Marine Corps colonel who oversees Joseph Aviation Consulting.
Aimer said the aircraft’s longevity is a testament to its importance to the air force: “It has worked since Day One with the job it was designed for and is doing an excellent job,” he said. “It carries so many things, so many bombs that we will never replace it.”
Still, some aviation experts say the ongoing efforts to modify the B-52 suggest that stronger and more consistent military funding is needed.
“We’re asking aeronauts to tie up their forefathers, their fathers and now they’re flying, and it’s time to reset,” said Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
Described by the US Air Force as “the backbone of the United States’ strategic bomber force,” the B-52 Stratofortress has become a vital aircraft in the country’s armed conflicts.
According to the Air Force, B-52 Stratofortresses delivered 40% of all weapons dropped by coalition forces during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
Two B-52Hs were also used to strike Baghdad’s power stations and communications facilities in 1996 during Operation Desert Strike, using air-launched cruise missiles. This mission, according to the Air Force, was the longest distance flown by combat missions at the time, with planes making a 16,000-mile round trip from Barkdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for a 34-hour flight.
The B-52 was reinstated during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, providing close air support as it flew over the battlefield, according to the US Air Force.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, it launched nearly 100 miles during a one-night mission.
Officials say Monday’s crash happened shortly after takeoff.
Such low-level emergencies are particularly dangerous because planes are often fuel-heavy and crews have little time to react given how close they are to the ground and how slow they are moving, Aimer said.
“It’s probably the worst time for any major failure to happen, for them to control it,” Aimer said.
The fatal crash marked what aviation experts told The Times was a strong safety record for the older aircraft. Before Monday, the most recent incident involving a B-52 occurred in Guam in 2016, after the plane overran the runway and crashed. In 2008, another B-52 crashed off the coast of Guam, killing six.
In 1982, a B-52 also crashed outside Sacramento Mather Air Force Base, killing nine people.
