USAF returns mothballed B-52 bomber to service
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
03 October 2016
The US Air Force (USAF) has returned a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber aircraft to service that had been mothballed in the 'boneyard' at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB) in Arizona.
The 55-year old aircraft, known as 'Ghost Rider' (tail number 61-007), was flown to its operating base at Minot in North Dakota on 27 September following a 19-month refurbishment by the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB) in Oklahoma.
With approximately 45,000 man-hours having gone into restoring the aircraft to full operating capability, 'Ghost Rider' will now join the 5th Bomb Wing of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).
The USAF announced its plans to restore 'Ghost Rider' to service in February 2015 to maintain its 76-strong B-52H fleet following a mishap at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana in 2014 that left a B-52 severely damaged. Since work began, another B-52 was destroyed in an accident on the island of Guam, though no announcement has been made as to whether the USAF will repeat its effort in restoring another retired aircraft to service. At the height of its strength, the USAF B-52 forces comprised some 744 aircraft, although this number has been cut to just 76 (with 75 now in operation) in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia.
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