Air Force bomber crashed on takoff at California base

BREAKING NEWSJun. 15, 2026, 7:33 PM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsAir Force bomber crashed on takoff at California baseThe B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber and mainstay of the U.S. Air Force since 1955.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in 2017.Eric Charbonneau / Getty Images for NetflixShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Corky SiemaszkoA long-range bomber crashed shortly after takeoff Monday from the Edwards Air Force Base in California. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The B-52 Stratofortress went down around 11:20 a.m. local time and there were no immediate reports of casualties, officials at the base posted on Facebook.Emergency crews were responding to the crash, the post said.Built by Boeing, the Stratofortress is a long-range bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Nicknamed “the Buff,” for Big Ugly Fat Fellow, it’s been the go-to bomber for the U.S. military since 1955, according to Air Force Global Strike Command. ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleCorky SiemaszkoCorky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.