Davis Monthan Air Force Base (DMA/KDMA) is a military airport run by the United States Air Force, which is located in the southeastern suburbs of Tucson. It was opened in September 1927 as landing field after the US army decided to open the new military air base close to Tucson here. It was named in honor after two pilots (Samuel Howard Davis and Oscar Monthan), which both crashed and died while serving the forces in th 1920s and both of them went to High School in Tucson. After its “second opening” after some first extensions to a “real air base”, the airport was still extended in the 1940s in order to allow it hosting B29 trainings and extensions continued in the 1950s, then the airbase was rebuilt for the new B47s. The military facilities were extended for new aircraft types several types later on (In the 70s for example for the A10s and U2s), but since the Tactical Air Command was liquidated in 1992, Davis-Monthan Air Base is now only used by the Air Combat Command. That is the reason for the traffic at DMA, which mostly consists out of fighters like the A10, F15/16 and F22, but also several reconnaissance aircraft and sometimes you can also see bigger transport aircraft like “normal” C130s or C17s. (source: spotterguide.net)

Davis-Monthan is a very easy location to spot at, being able to stand in the parking lot of the Pima Air and Space Museum in order to photograph the various aircraft around DMA. The most common aircraft that can be seen are the based A-10s, HC-130Js and the sought after EA-37Bs which conduct daily flights in and out of the base. Other visitors include KC-135s, Arizona ANG fighters, and aircraft flying in for decommissioning.

Many spotters visit Davis-Monthan to photograph the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) or the Bone Yard, which holds thousands of decommissioned air frames which are used for spare parts and are occasionally recommissioned. The AMARG can be easily viewed from the roads around the base, though tours are no longer offered inside for visitors. Decommissioned P-3 Orion variants and KC-10s are among some of the most popular sights at the base.

Tucson International Airport hosts both the Arizona National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing, which not only operates as a USAF fighter wing but also conducts operations as a Formal Training Unit for partner nations who operate the F-16. Past visitors have been the UAE, Iraq, RNLAF, and Poland with ROCAF F-16s making up the current host of foreign visitors. The aircraft photographed here is their color bird with shark mouth and playing card motifs.

No formal spotting has been conducted at the airport as of yet.