Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, situated near Tucson, Arizona, is recognized as the world’s largest aircraft boneyard. The facility holds an inventory exceeding 4,000 aircrafts including planes, jets, helicopters, and even space shuttles. It serves multiple military and space exploration entities like the Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and NASA.
The fire at Dyess Air Force Base resulted in $15 million worth of damage to the bomber with serial number 85-0089. An accident investigation board reported these facts last year. Given the extensive damage and high repair costs of this aircraft, authorities decided it was more cost-effective to reactivate "Lancelot" with serial 85-0081.
The decision to recommission "Lancelot" aligns with a congressional mandate requiring a minimum of 45 bombers in active inventory. A comprehensive team is currently undertaking restoration efforts to make it flyable again. Further repairs are scheduled at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
The B-1B fleet entered service in the mid-1980s and had its nuclear capabilities removed in 2007. It consists of approximately 60 aircraft based primarily at Dyess and Ellsworth Air Force Bases in Texas and South Dakota respectively. Each bomber is valued at roughly $317 million according to service fact sheets.
Source: The Aviationist
