A U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52H Stratofortress crashed during takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on June 15, killing all eight people aboard.
According to Reuters, the bomber was conducting a test mission when it crashed shortly after becoming airborne. The crew included military personnel, government civilians and contractors. Boeing later confirmed that two of its employees were among the victims.
The aircraft involved was B-52H serial number 60-0061, assigned to the 412th Test Wing at Edwards. Unlike most operational B-52s based in Louisiana and North Dakota, the bomber had been deployed to the California flight test center on December 8, 2025 to support evaluation of a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
The aircraft was participating in the B-52 radar modernization effort, which is centered on the APQ-188 radar. The system is derived from the AN/APG-79 radar used by the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter and has been adapted for the long-range missions performed by the Stratofortress fleet.
https://x.com/airwayaviation/status/2066780416527176171
The crash occurred on the same day that a Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bomber also crashed during a training flight in Siberia.
Colonel James Hayes said the aircraft crashed on the runway shortly after takeoff and that the accident was quickly considered unsurvivable. The impact and post-crash fire forced Edwards Air Force Base to suspend flight operations while runway damage is assessed.
The loss marks the first B-52 crash since a Stratofortress accident in Guam in 2016, when all seven crew members survived.
The B-52 is undergoing one of the most extensive modernization programs in its history. In addition to the new APQ-188 radar, the aircraft is receiving Rolls-Royce F130 engines, updated avionics and communications systems intended to keep the bomber in service into the 2050s.
Only B-52H variants remain operational today. The fleet is expected to serve alongside the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, which is currently undergoing flight testing and is intended to become the Air Force's next-generation stealth bomber.
