Re melanoma: USAF loves the dessert. Vegas and the Mid East are v popular destinations to go for certain airframes like the one pictured in the article.
From the pic[1], "LN" tailflash is telltale, but if your confidence is still waivering, this is the precise location[2] that the pic was taken from: you can see spot "03" painted on the flightline and tower in the background.
[1] https://images.axios.com/7Kz2FLdbEv-I_Pr-GjkRXdriQSM=/0x254:...
[2] https://www.google.com/maps/place/52%C2%B024'02.2%22N+0%C2%B...