Back from the Boneyard: Tinker Brings B-1 Back to the Fight

Published May 6, 2026
By Courtney Landsberger
72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer once parked in the Arizona desert is back in the air after an intensive regeneration and depot maintenance effort led by the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base.

stripped b1 test flight — A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer conducts a functional check flight at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Feb. 26, 2026, in a stripped, bare-metal configuration. The aircraft underwent extensive depot maintenance to return it to operational status. (U.S. Air Force photo by Courtney Landsberger)

The aircraft departed Tinker April 22 following nearly two years of work to return it to combat-capable status after time in Type 2000 storage at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base—commonly known as the “boneyard.”

For Jason “JJ” Justice, a technical analyst with Tinker’s B-1 Systems Program Office, the aircraft’s return marks a rare full-circle moment.

“I’ve been on this jet for 32 years,” Justice said. “To see it come back and still support the warfighter is a great feeling.”

A retired Airman, Justice was part of the team that sent the aircraft into storage in 2021. Years later, he helped lead the charge to bring it back.

b1 squadron photo — The 567th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron poses with a B-1B Lancer at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, April 20, 2026, marking the completion of a depot maintenance effort to return the aircraft to operational status. (U.S. Air Force photo by Courtney Landsberger)

Behind the massive effort was a workforce that rarely sees the runway.

More than 200 Airmen and civilians from the 567th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron worked extended shifts completing system overhauls and structural repairs, replacing more than 500 components.

“The maintainers of the 567th support our warfighters at unprecedented levels,” said Steven Mooy, 567th AMXS master scheduler. “They overcome so many obstacles and work together to accomplish repairs that nobody else in the bomber community could do.”

b1 inside paint shop — A B-1B Lancer is positioned inside a paint facility at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, April 15, 2026, during depot-level maintenance. The repainting process follows system validation flights and prepares the aircraft for return to operational use. (U.S. Air Force photo by Courtney Landsberger)

Pilots from Tinker’s 10th Flight Test Squadron flew the aircraft in a stripped, bare-metal configuration over Oklahoma, conducting functional check flights to validate systems and performance. Once the aircraft passed these flights and was deemed Fully Mission Capable, it moved to the final phase of the regeneration process: the paint facility.

There, three rotating teams worked around the clock to prepare the aircraft for final delivery.

The regeneration effort comes as the Air Force continues modernizing its bomber fleet while sustaining legacy platforms critical to current operations. It’s a move that highlights the critical role of depot maintenance in extending aircraft service life.

b1 takes off after regeneration — A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer takes off from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, April 22, 2026, following completion of depot maintenance to return the aircraft to operational status. The aircraft was placed in storage at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base—commonly known as the “boneyard,” in 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Courtney Landsberger)

“We’ve got the right people doing the right work,” Justice said. “That’s what makes something like this possible.”

The aircraft has since returned to Dyess Air Force Base, where it rejoined the fleet with a new name and nose art marking its restoration—another aircraft brought back from storage and returned to the fight through a coordinated team effort at Tinker.

SLIDESHOW | images | Back from the Boneyard: Tinker Brings B-1 Back to the Fight

Dyess Airmen prepare “Apocalypse II” for operational service

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Trevor Francisco, 28th Bomber Generation Squadron assistant dedicated crew chief, taxis in a B-1B Lancer, tail number 86-0115, at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, April 22, 2026. Francisco is part of the maintenance team responsible for keeping the newly regenerated bomber mission-ready after it was recalled from retirement to support the active bomber fleet and serve as the 7th Bomb Wing's historic "Apocalypse II" flagship. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Neal)

SLIDESHOW | images | Dyess Airmen prepare “Apocalypse II” for operational service

Dyess Airmen prepare “Apocalypse II” for operational service

The “Apocalypse II” nose art is displayed on the 7th Bomb Wing’s new flagship B-1B Lancer at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, April 27, 2026. The freshly applied artwork honors the World War II crew of the B-24J Liberator "Apocalypse" and marks the final step in regenerating tail number 86-0115 for its return to the operational bomber fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Neal)

SLIDESHOW | images | Dyess Airmen prepare “Apocalypse II” for operational service