Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California, which has long been at the forefront of aviation and aerospace testing, was thrust into the spotlight on June 15 after a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed there, killing eight people.
“We lost eight great Americans,” Col. James Hayes, a base deputy commander, told reporters on the afternoon of June 15 at Edwards. “This crash is deemed to be unsurvivable.”
Officials haven’t yet revealed a cause of the crash, and said an investigation with final conclusions could take months. The victims have also not yet been formally identified.
Here’s what to know about Edwards Air Force Base, described as “the world’s largest airfield,” and the ongoing investigation into the deadly B-52 crash.
Where and what is Edwards Air Force Base?
Edwards Air Force Base, located in the western Mojave Desert about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, spans Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
The installation began in 1933 as the Muroc Bombing and Gunnery Range and expanded during World War II into Muroc Army Air Base, a training site for bomber and fighter crews, the Air Force says. As wartime aviation demands grew, its remote location and favorable flying conditions made it ideal for testing experimental aircraft.
In 1942, America’s first jet-powered plane, the Bell XP-59A Airacomet, took flight from the nearby Rogers Dry Lakebed. In the years that followed, the site became central to jet development, with early Air Force and Navy aircraft tested there.
“On Oct. 14, 1947, Capt. Charles E. ‘Chuck’ Yeager flew the small bullet-shaped airplane to become the first human to exceed the speed of sound,” the Air Force says.
The base was renamed in 1949 in honor of Capt. Glen Edwards — “who was killed a year earlier in the crash of the YB-49 Flying Wing” — and by 1951, it was formally recognized as the nation’s leading flight research hub with the creation of the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center, according to the Air Force.
The 1950s marked an era of aviation breakthroughs at Edwards Air Force Base, where experimental aircraft pushed the limits of speed and altitude, according to the Air Force. Test pilots set successive records, surpassing Mach 2, Mach 3, and eventually flying above 100,000 feet, while new jet fighters made supersonic flight more routine.
The next decade marked a shift toward space exploration at Edwards, as pilots trained for astronaut roles, and the X-15 pushed the boundaries of hypersonic and near-space flight, setting speed and altitude records, according to the Air Force.
In the 1970s, focus shifted away from space missions and pilot training to complex systems of testing and management as aircraft technology grew more sophisticated, the Air Force says. Breakthroughs in stealth technology paved the way for the development of the F‑117 Nighthawk.
“The 1980s opened with one of the most dramatic episodes in all of Edwards’ history,” the Air Force says. “At 10:20 a.m. on April 14, 1981, the wheels of the Space Shuttle Columbia touched down on Rogers Dry Lakebed. Astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen had successfully landed the first orbiting space vehicle ever to leave the Earth under rocket power and return on the wings of an aircraft. The era of reusable space vehicles had dawned.”
In the decades that followed, Edwards continued to play a central role in developing cutting-edge aircraft, such as the B‑2 stealth bomber and F‑22 Raptor, as well as unmanned systems like Global Hawk, according to the Air Force. The base also continued to support major programs, including the Joint Strike Fighter.
Today, virtually every Air Force aircraft, along with many Navy and Army systems, is evaluated at the base.
What officials say happened at Edwards Air Force Base on June 15
The aircraft that crashed at about 11:20 a.m. on June 15 was a B-52 Stratofortress, a long-haul heavy bomber that can reach subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet.
The plane, which was on a test mission in support of a radar modernization program, “crashed and burst into flames,” immediately after taking off, Hayes said.
“Our team of first responders snapped into action” to put out the flames, Hayes said.
Footage of the aftermath of the crash site showed a large charred area with debris strewn about and smoke rising from the remains. The crash was “totally contained” on the runway of the base, Hayes said.
Officials haven’t revealed a cause of the crash as of June 16. Its cause was under investigation, and officials didn’t have “any indication” of it, Hayes said.
Who are the victims of the B-52 bomber crash?
Authorities haven’t identified the victims on board the bomber when it crashed, but said they were a mix of military personnel and civilian contractors. Family members were being notified on June 15, Hayes said.
“This was a mixed crew,” Hayes said.
Airplane manufacturing company Boeing confirmed in a statement that two of the victims were employees and said it was in touch with their families to offer support.
“We mourn this loss and honor the service of our Airmen, civilians, and contractors who work every day to advance our mission. I send my sincerest condolences to their families and loved ones,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What know about Edwards Air Force Base following deadly B-52 crash
Reporting by Daniella Segura and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Daniella Segura and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
