A B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base on a radar modernisation test mission, killing all eight people aboard.
The aircraft was flying at 11:20 a.m. PDT and carried a mixed crew of military personnel, government civilians and contractors, including two Boeing employees. The bomber was tied to the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, which is intended to replace the legacy radar and extend fleet service life. Officials have said the crash was not survivable and that the cause remains under investigation.
The loss puts fresh pressure on B-52 test discipline and schedule resilience.