The aircraft went down shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base.

Officials at Edwards Air Force Base said, a US Air Force B-52 Strato-fortress bomber crashed in California, killing all eight people on board. 

They also said, the aircraft took off for a test flight at around 11:30 am on Monday and crashed shortly afterward. 

However, the B-52 is a long-range strategic bomber capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. 

The aircraft has been used in major conflicts, including the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and recent operations linked to Iran.