US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base

A US Air Force ⁠B-52 Stratofortress has crashed shortly after taking off ‌from the Edwards Air Force Base in California, the base ⁠said.

“Emergency crews immediately ⁠responded to the scene ⁠and the situation ⁠is ⁠ongoing,” the base wrote on Monday in a ‌post on X.

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties or what caused the crash.

The B-52 Stratofortress is a subsonic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It can carry a payload of up to 70,000 pounds.

Each jet is valued at about $110 million.

Video broadcast by Fox News on Monday showed emergency responders extinguishing a fire in a large charred portion of the runway at Edwards Air Force Base.

Located north of Los Angeles, the base is home to the world’s largest airfield. About 10,000 members of the military, contractors and civilian staff work at the location.

More to come…