USAF dismantles B-52 bombers at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

The United States Air Force has utilized specialized methods to dismantle B-52 strategic bombers at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. To comply with historical arms reduction agreements, such as the START I treaty signed between the US and the Soviet Union in 1991, aircraft must be rendered visibly non-functional to international observers.

This process involves cutting the bombers into five large pieces, including the tail, wings, and fuselage, and leaving the components exposed for several weeks so that satellite imagery can confirm the destruction. While hundreds of B-52s have been scrapped in this manner, the aircraft type is slated to remain in service through the 2050s. Rolls-Royce is expected to begin delivering new engines for the fleet starting in 2027.