309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group

Aircraft storage at Davis-Monthan Field began when the 4105th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Aircraft Storage) was organized in 1945, to house Boeing B-29 Superfortress and Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft. Davis–Monthan Field was chosen because of Tucson's low humidity, infrequent rainfall, alkaline soil, and high altitude of , reducing rust and corrosion. The hard soil makes it possible to move aircraft around without having to pave the storage areas. In 1949, after the Air Force's creation as a separate service, the unit was redesignated as the 3040th Aircraft Storage Depot, and later 3040 Aircraft Storage Squadron. On 1 Jun 1956, the 3040 Aircraft Storage Squadron was discontinued. In 1965, the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center was organized and tasked with processing aircraft for all the United States armed forces, not just the Air Force. The Navy had operated its own boneyard at Naval Air Station Litchfield Park at Goodyear, Arizona, for Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft. In February 1965, some 500 aircraft were moved from Litchfield Park to Davis–Monthan. NAS Litchfield Park was finally closed in 1968. In the 1980s, the center began processing intercontinental ballistic missiles for dismantling or reuse in satellite launches, and was renamed the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) to reflect the expanded focus on all aerospace assets. In the 1990s, in accordance with the START I treaty, the center was tasked with eliminating 365 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The progress of this task was to be verified by Russia via satellite and first-person inspection at the facility. Initially, the B-52s were chopped into pieces with a 13,000 pound guillotine winched by a steel cable supported by a crane. Later on, the tool of choice became K-12 rescue saws. This more precise technique afforded AMARC with salvageable spare parts. In May 2007, the AMARC was transferred to the 309th Maintenance Wing, and the center was renamed the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG). ; Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron • Designated as the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and organized on 1 June 1956 • Discontinued on 1 August 1959 ; 2704th Air Force Aircraft Storage and Disposition Group • Designated as the 2704th Air Force Aircraft Storage and Disposition Group and organized on 1 August 1959 • Discontinued on 1 February 1965 Assignments • Air Force Logistics Command, 7 October 1964 • Air Force Materiel Command, 1 July 1992 • 309th Maintenance Wing, 2 May 2007 (attached to Ogden Air Logistics Complex after 12 July 2012) • Ogden Air Logistics Complex, 1 October 2012 – present ==Storage procedures==

There are four categories of storage for aircraft at AMARG: • Long Term (Type 1000) – Aircraft are kept intact in “inviolate” storage for future use. No parts are removed without the express permission of appropriate program office. • Parts Reclamation (Type 2000) – Aircraft are kept, picked apart and used for spare parts. • Flying Hold (Type 3000) – Aircraft are kept intact with regular running of their engines, towing to lubricate their bearings and servicing of fluids. AMARG employs approximately 500 DoD civil servants and 200 contractors. The facility is adjacent to the base. On average, AMARG annually returns approximately $500 million worth of spare parts to military, government, and allied customers. The plane is then towed by a tug to its designated "storage" position. On average the Group annually receives 300 aircraft for storage and processes out about the same number (with 50 to 100 of those returning to flying service). Aircraft that fly again either return to the U.S. military, U.S. government agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Forest Service, and NASA, or are sold to allied governments under either the Foreign Military Sales program of the Arms Export Control Act, or the Excess Defense Articles program of the Foreign Assistance Act. ==Accessibility==

AMARG is a controlled-access site, and is off-limits to anyone not employed there without the proper clearance. From April 2013 onwards the base had hosted an annual 10K/5K run/walk which was open to the general public. ==Use in film and TV production==

AMARG has been used as a filming location in several films and television productions, despite security. The most recent and notable of these is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The exterior scenes of the Smithsonian set were actually filmed in the Boneyard. AMARG was featured in an episode of TNT's The Great Escape. ==See also==