A sprawling 'aeroplane graveyard' was seen from the air in Arizona.

Aerial footage shows rows of retired aircraft lined up in striking patterns across the arid landscape at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

The desert's dry climate helps preserve the planes, making the site ideal for long-term storage and parts reclamation.

The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), commonly known as The Boneyard, spans 2,600 acres at Davis–Monthan and houses nearly 4,000 retired military and government aircraft, making it the largest aircraft storage and preservation facility in the world.

The aircraft are kept in case airlines or militaries wish to reuse them, maintained in a mothballed state with parts sealed and engines preserved so they can return to service if required.

Others are stripped for parts once they are no longer economical to operate, before eventually being scrapped or recycled at the end of their lifespan.