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Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Sorry for the uneducated question. Does the military store planes in the desert like A-7 and A-6 that could potentially be brought back to service if needed? Perhaps there would never be the need and if not, why not scrap them instead of storing them? Thank you for your kind answers.
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Lots of hazardous substances in military aircraft. It is much easier to park them in a desert than to try and recycle them. Even the paint is dangerous as it uses chromate primer.
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Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Nobody is bringing back A-6 or A-7s; if a MDS is still in-service, parts will be taken, reman’d and sent into parts supply. The rest will be scrapped at some point.
I delivered a C-5A into AMARG; our Wing Supply got parts off it a month later.
I delivered a C-5A into AMARG; our Wing Supply got parts off it a month later.
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Two B-52H have been restored from AMARG:
https://www.google.com/search?q=b-52+re ... from+amarg
It would be interesting to know when frames are finally scrapped. Probably scrapping is low enough rate that they're typically just scrapping really old stuff.
https://www.google.com/search?q=b-52+re ... from+amarg
It would be interesting to know when frames are finally scrapped. Probably scrapping is low enough rate that they're typically just scrapping really old stuff.
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
One of NASA's three WB-57s was reactivated after thirty years in storage, though I imagine that's a bit of an exceptional case.
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
The type of storage is specified when the aircraft are stored. If they have reserve status, they cannot be parted out and must be restorable to active service within a fixed period of time. This determines the maintenance and exercise they receive during storage. These aircraft are also eligible for transfer or sale to other governments.
If they have reclamation status, then there is not an expectation they would return to service and they can be parted, or scrapped if the parts value is no longer considered adequate.
The storage type is also reviewed at renewal (every 5 years I believe). The processes are very well developed and organized. The boneyard operations are very complex and diverse. It's not just parking airplanes and watching them collect dust.
There is a good recent article on operation of the boneyard, which describes all this with examples. I cannot find it just now, but will try to post here later.
If they have reclamation status, then there is not an expectation they would return to service and they can be parted, or scrapped if the parts value is no longer considered adequate.
The storage type is also reviewed at renewal (every 5 years I believe). The processes are very well developed and organized. The boneyard operations are very complex and diverse. It's not just parking airplanes and watching them collect dust.
There is a good recent article on operation of the boneyard, which describes all this with examples. I cannot find it just now, but will try to post here later.
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Here is the article I was remembering. Very informative and provides an appreciation for all the work done at AMARG.
https://www.wamilitary.com/davis-montha ... ible-reuse
https://www.wamilitary.com/davis-montha ... ible-reuse
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Thank you Avatar2go. I appreciate your response!
Re: Are older fighters/bombers in storage potentially still usable?
Check out Episode 77 of The Fighter Pilot Podcast. Colonel Barnard does an amazing job detailing 309th AMARG's roles and responsibilities. https://www.fighterpilotpodcast.com/epi ... -boneyard/
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