The U.S. Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base was in the process of tests to upgrade the aging fleet of B-52 bombers with new engines and radar systems when one of the planes crashed Monday, killing eight people, officials said.<\/p>\n
The tests, and planned upgrades for the bomber, are just the latest in what has been long history for the plane that has undergone more than half a dozen transformations and has remained in the U.S. arsenal for more than 70 years.<\/p>\n
The B-52 is considered a legendary workhorse, remaining a key part of the military\u2019s fleet for decades thanks to constant improvements to the planes.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s still unclear what caused<\/a> the deadly crash at Edwards Air Force Base just after 11 a.m., sending a huge plume of smoke from the base. In a press conference, Col. James Hayes said the B-52 that crashed was supporting a \u201cradar modernization program.\u201d<\/p>\n Edwards Air Force Base officials confirmed the plane crashed shortly after take-off<\/a> of a \u201croutine test mission.\u201d They declined to identify the victims until the next of kin had been notified. <\/p>\n The airfield remained closed Tuesday after a night of crews fighting small start-up fires in the area.<\/p>\n Air Force officials announced in May and December that B-52s would be undergoing testing at Edwards Air Force Base as the Department of Defense looked to upgrade the plane\u2019s engines<\/a> and radar<\/a>.<\/p>\n Efforts to upgrade and create a new version of the iconic B-52 bomber have been ongoing for decades, making it a constant presence in the country\u2019s armed conflicts from the Vietnam War to the Gulf and Iraq wars.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of these airplanes are literally twice the age of the pilots who fly them,\u201d said Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines pilot and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts. But, he added, \u201cif you take care of an airplane, you can fly them forever, basically.\u201d<\/p>\n In December, Air Force officials announced a B-52 Stratofortress was ferried from Boeing\u2019s San Antonio facility to Edwards Air Force Base after it was equipped with a new radar system. The aircraft, according to the statement<\/a>, was set to undergo a series of tests throughout 2026.<\/p>\n The Air Force has not said whether that was the B-52 that crashed.<\/p>\n In May, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced that Boeing was moving to modify two B-52H aircraft in its San Antonio facility. The plan was to replace the planes\u2019 1960s-era TF33 engines with F130 Rolls-Royce engines \u2014 and test them at Edwards Air Force Base.<\/p>\n Pentagon officials referred questions to the U.S. Air Force. U.S. Air Force officials and officials at Edwards Air Force Base did not immediately respond to inquiries Tuesday.<\/p>\n As of November 2025, the Air Force\u2019s fleet of B-52s were 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\u2019s 307th Bomb Wing also at Barksdale, according to the Air Force<\/a>. <\/p>\n But some of the Air Force\u2019s B-52 fleet was taken to Edwards Air Force Base for testing. <\/p>\n Military officials have not released details of those who were onboard during the crash but, in a statement<\/a>, Boeing confirmed two of its employees were among crew.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Test Pilot School and now runs consulting firm 3WIRE Solutions. <\/p>\n \u201cEdwards, for the Air Force, is the heart of developmental testing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n When Sinclair flew F-18s in Iraq, he said he would often see B-52s flying over him.<\/p>\n \u201cThey just have an incredible payload capacity,\u201d Sinclair said. \u201cThey can drop large amounts of ordnance and they can also carry said ordnance very far.\u201d<\/p>\n 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 modifications and improvements. <\/p>\n It has a range of 8,000 miles but, because it can refuel in the air, the craft can stay in flight for much longer. According to the U.S. Air Force, it also has a payload capacity of 70,000 pounds.<\/p>\n