First responders at Edwards AFB, Calif., trained with their civilian counterparts to secure a simulated F-35 crash site in nearby California City, Calif. Dummy 911 calls kickstarted the April 4 Desert Wind exercise, which allowed the groups to hone their coordination and communication, according to a release. California City police officers arrived at the scene of a faked UK F-35 crash first. Joined by the California City, Bakersfield, and Kern County fire departments, they encountered fires, debris, and injured civilians. After tackling the fire and treating the injured, the civilian responders turned the scene over to 412th Test Wing responders and security forces, who cordoned off the area.
The B-52H Stratofortress that crashed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 15 was helping test a new advanced radar that is key to a sweeping modernization of the six-decade old bomber.