At the time of Monday's fiery crash, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress was taking part in a test mission as part of a program to keep the oldest aircraft in the U.S. fleet flying for decades to come.
The eight deceased individuals were identified as:
-- Col. Gregory Watson, 53, weapon systems officer, Boeing (Air Force reservist,
assigned 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Fort Worth,
Texas), Shreveport, La.
-- Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40, weapon systems officer, Air Force Operational Test and
Evaluation Center, Detachment 5, Edwards AFB, Calif.
-- Retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, 50, pilot, Boeing, Tehachapi, Calif.
-- Maj. Alexander Davis, 34, weapon systems officer, 419th Flight Test Squadron, Lancaster,
Calif.
-- Maj. Robert Dee, 40, pilot, 419th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
8 dead in B-52 bomber crash at US Air Force base in SoCal, officials say
-- Maj. Brad Hovey, 35, pilot, 419th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
-- Jeromy Smith, 32, flight test engineer, 419th Flight Test Squadron, Rosamond, Calif.
-- Christopher Rischar, 41, flight test engineer, JT4 contractor, Lancaster, Calif.
"It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I can now share the names of the eight extraordinary Americans we lost during Monday's B-52 crash," Col. Thomas Tauer, 412th Test Wing Commander, told workers and families at Edwards, according to a news release. "They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates."
The names are being released following a 24-hour waiting period after all next of kin notifications were completed, in accordance with Department of Defense policy, the news release said.
No cause has been determined. Officials at the base said it could take six months to complete the investigation.
The bomber took off shortly before noon on a clear day, heading southwest into the prevailing winds. It flew straight and crashed on the same 15,000-foot runway. The compact wreckage indicates the plane dropped sharply.
The B-52, a long-range bomber that entered service in 1955, is designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. It has been used in conflicts involving the U.S. military from Vietnam to Iran. .
Edwards, located northeast of Lancaster, is home to the 412th Test Wing, which conducts regular developmental testing of all Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software and components before purchase by the service as well as throughout their life span. Test missions take place at Edwards daily.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Air Force initially identified Gregory Watson as a colonel (select). In a follow-up statement, the military branch said Watson received his signed promotion and "therefore, he should be referred to by his latest rank of Col. Gregory Watson."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.