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

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California, on Monday, officials said.

The aircraft went down on the Edwards airfield around 11:20 a.m., according to a statement from the base posted on X.

"A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 a.m," Edwards Air Force Base wrote on X. "Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing."

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"More information will be provided as it becomes available," the base added.

Photos from the scene showed a plume of smoke rising near the wreckage.

"Please join me in praying for the B-52 crew at Edwards Air Force Base and the entire Edwards community," Rep. Vince Fong wrote on X.

Edwards Air Force Base, California, and Air Force Pentagon headquarters referred questions to the initial announcement of the crash and declined to provide additional details.

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The B-52 typically operates with a crew of five, including two pilots, a radar navigator, navigator and electronic warfare officer. The status of those on board was not immediately known.

The aircraft is one of 76 B-52s remaining in the Air Force inventory. The fleet is expected to remain in service for decades as the Air Force pursues extensive modernization upgrades.

The nuclear-capable bomber first entered service in the 1950s and remains a central component of the U.S. strategic bomber force.

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The last B-52 airframe lost in a crash was destroyed during a takeoff accident at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in 2016.

Edwards is the Air Force's premier flight-test center, and B-52s stationed there are frequently used for developmental and modernization testing rather than routine operational missions.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.