Plume of smoke rises over US Air Force base after massive US bomber crashes

Plume of smoke rises over US Air Force base after massive US bomber crashes A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber has crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California A massive plume of smoke has been spotted rising over a major US Air Force base in California after officials said a bomber plane had crashed. "A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 am," the base said on Facebook "Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing. "More information will be provided as it becomes available." It is not immediately clear if there are any injuries Images of smoke rising over the base, which sits in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, were posted online. “Did something just happen at Edwards Air Force Base? Currently seeing a large column coming from the base, cams are aligned with one of the runways,” one user wrote. The Air Force and NASA conduct test flights of new and developmental aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base. Edwards Air Force Base stands in the western Mojave Desert in Southern California, about 100 miles from Los Angeles. It is considered a large base that spans over 300,000 acres, predominantly in Kern County, with portions extending into San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties. The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber first introduced in the 1950s that remains a central part of the US military's air power. Built by Boeing and typically carrying a crew of five, the aircraft is capable of loading both conventional and nuclear weapons over long distances and has been used in conflicts ranging from Vietnam to recent operations in the Iran war. Edwards Air Force Base in California is home to the Air Force Flight Test Center and serves as the Air Force Materiel Command’s center of excellence for flight research and development, as well as the testing and evaluation of aerospace systems from early concept through operational use in combat.