Re-generating an aircraft out of storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, back into operational service, is always a good news story
In some ways it is sad to see the thousands of aircraft in storage at the Boneyard at D-M AFB.
Such history and great service for many of them.
What is exciting, uplifting, and exhilarating is seeing these stored aircraft put back into service.
Because of Autopen Administration economies, the B-1 Fleet was cut to 45 combat capable airframes, with about 20-40 placed in various states of storage readiness at the Boneyard.
The Air Force has announced that a B-1B, serial 86-0115, formerly named Rage, has been returned to operational status. Most of the re-generation work was done at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, over two years, at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex.
President Reagan ordered 100 B-1Bs to supplement the B-52 force at the height of the Cold War. Clinton era decisions, denuclearized the B-1s, making them capable of only conventional strikes.
There are still a number of B-1s that can be put into service as well as approximately 10 B-52Hs waiting their return to active service. Considering B-52s that had their wings clipped off due to nuclear treaties, perhaps even more aircraft can be returned to service, saving the taxpayers considerable money while re-building the world’s best military.
