(CNN) -- A U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber caught fire Friday after a landing at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, U.S. military officials said.



A sweep-wing B-1 bomber, similar to this one, caught fire after  landing Friday in Qatar, the U.S. military says.



The crew evacuated safely, the officials said.



They said the fire began while the plane was taxiing after landing about 9:10 p.m. at al-Udeid, the headquarters of U.S. military air operations for the Middle East.



Officials said the fire on the bomber was contained. A military board of inquiry has been appointed to investigate the incident, they said.



The officials said initial reports said the plane crashed at the headquarters of the U.S. military's air operations for the Middle East.



The B-1B Lancer is widely used by the U.S. military to bomb targets over Iraq and Afghanistan. Learn more about B-1 bombers »



It carries a host of satellite and laser-guided bombs and is able to remain over targets for long periods of time to assist in close-air support for troops on the ground.



In December 2001, a B-1 crashed while returning from a bombing run over Afghanistan to a British base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.



Originally designed to speed nuclear bombs into Cold War Russia, the B-1 was retooled to become a long-range bomber able to carry more conventional bombs, allowing it to hit more targets over a wider area.



Al-Udeid, about 20 miles south of Qatar's capital of Doha, has the military's longest runway in the Middle East.



About 3,300 U.S. troops, mostly Army, are stationed at the base. E-mail to a friend
What air base has the military's longest runway in the Middle East? What type of plane was burned? What happened to the bomber after landing? What was the crew able to evacuate? Where is the al-Udeid Air Base located? What base has the military's longest runway in the Middle East? Who has the military's longest runway in the Middle East? What happened to the bomber after landing at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar? Where did it land in Qatar?
Al-Udeid, U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber caught fire U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber Qatar, Al-Udeid, Al-Udeid, caught fire al-Udeid Air Base
question: What air base has the military's longest runway in the Middle East?, answer: Al-Udeid, | question: What type of plane was burned?, answer: U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber | question: What happened to the bomber after landing?, answer: caught fire | question: What was the crew able to evacuate?, answer: U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber | question: Where is the al-Udeid Air Base located?, answer: Qatar, | question: What base has the military's longest runway in the Middle East?, answer: Al-Udeid, | question: Who has the military's longest runway in the Middle East?, answer: Al-Udeid, | question: What happened to the bomber after landing at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar?, answer: caught fire | question: Where did it land in Qatar?, answer: al-Udeid Air Base