Inside the World’s Largest Military Aircraft Boneyard

Spread across 2,600 acres of Arizona desert, the aircraft boneyard at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is the world’s largest collection of military aircraft. This site holds over 3,000 aircraft, each representing a chapter in aviation history spanning nearly 80 years.

What may appear to be a final resting place for retired airplanes is, in reality, one of the most important regeneration and preservation facilities for the United States military. Operated by the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), a team of over 800 skilled personnel works year-round to store, preserve, reclaim, upgrade, and even return aircraft to flying condition.

Historic Aircraft with Ongoing Purpose

Among the many iconic aircraft preserved here is the EB-57 Canberra, one of the oldest intact aircraft in the collection, originally constructed in the early 1950s. Although no longer flown by the military, it still serves as a crucial spare-parts source for NASA’s WB-57 aircraft.

Another remarkable example is the LC-130, specially designed to land on snow and ice in Antarctica. After crashing in the early 1970s due to a rocket-assisted take-off failure, it remained buried in ice for 17 years before being recovered, repaired, and flown again for a decade before finally retiring to the Arizona desert.

The boneyard also holds more than 90 B-52 bombers, many of which were intentionally dismantled under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). These aircraft were “eliminated” in a verifiable manner so satellites could confirm compliance, yet they still provide valuable spare parts for the B-52H models still flying today.

Aircraft Regeneration Is More Common Than Expected

Aircraft do not always remain permanently grounded here. In fact, regeneration happens more often than many assume:

• In 2016, 23 F/A-18 Hornets were restored for the U.S. Marine Corps.
• In 2020, a 55-year-old B-52 was returned to flying status after extensive restoration.
• In 2023, a B-1 bomber was regenerated in only 64 days.

This demonstrates that the boneyard is as much about preservation for future use as it is about storage.

The Step-by-Step Process of Aircraft Preservation

When an aircraft arrives at AMARG, it does not simply get parked in the desert. There is a precise, multi-stage preservation process.

1. Engine and Fuel System Preservation (Flush Farm)

The aircraft first goes through a flushing process where standard fuel is removed and replaced with preservation oil. The engines are then run to ensure the protective fluid circulates through the entire system.

2. Complete Aircraft Washing (Wash Rack)

Aircraft are thoroughly cleaned to remove salt, dirt, and contaminants—especially important for planes that served on aircraft carriers or in tropical environments.

3. Sealing and Protective Coating

A two-layer spray system is applied:

• Black base coat to seal the aircraft
• White top coat to reflect sunlight and control temperature

Openings, sensors, and even the iconic A-10 Gatling gun are carefully sealed to prevent insects, birds, corrosion, and environmental damage.

4. Towing to Storage

After preservation, the aircraft is towed to its designated storage location, where it may remain for years or decades depending on military needs.

Reclamation: Keeping Active Aircraft Flying

One of AMARG’s most critical missions is parts reclamation. Thousands of parts are removed from stored aircraft and sent back into the military supply system.

Many of these parts come from aircraft whose manufacturing lines no longer exist, making AMARG the only source for certain components.

• Over 9,000 parts reclaimed in a single year
• Valued at over $454 million
• Parts shipped daily via major carriers to active bases worldwide

From small components to massive assemblies transported by C-17 or C-5 aircraft, reclaimed parts directly return grounded aircraft to operational status.

Depot-Level Maintenance and Upgrades

AMARG is not just a storage site. Older aircraft such as F-16s undergo depot-level maintenance here, receiving modern avionics, software, and hardware upgrades. After upgrades, test pilots perform functional check flights, pushing the aircraft through its full performance envelope to verify operational readiness.

Working at Extreme Heights and Conditions

Maintaining large aircraft such as the C-5 Galaxy, stored in significant numbers at the site, requires working at heights of over 80 feet. The harsh Arizona heat and environmental conditions make preservation work demanding, yet essential for long-term aircraft survival.

Why the Boneyard Matters

These aircraft may appear silent and inactive, but they continue to serve a mission long after retirement. Whether through:

• Providing rare spare parts
• Being regenerated into active service
• Serving as treaty-compliance artifacts
• Undergoing modernization upgrades

They remain an active part of the U.S. military aviation ecosystem.

The work of the 309th AMARG ensures that these aircraft are never truly forgotten. Instead, they are preserved, repurposed, and sometimes given a second life—quietly supporting missions around the world from the Arizona desert.