It
is a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base, was built in 1955 as part of
the more substantial Nevada Test and Training Range complex (NTTR), initially
to serve as a test facility for the U-2 Spy Plane. Although it has never been
declared a “top secret base,” the area is highly protected and is restricted to
both land and air use. Other well-known aircraft tested at Area 51 include the
Archangel-12, the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, and even the SR-71 Blackbird
CIA spy plane.
As
a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), I toured
the NTTR area years ago, witnessing the vast craters created by nuclear bomb
detonations years ago. The region was remote and when we attended lectures
about drone warfare at Nellis AFB, we were warned about coyotes that may snatch
our Styrofoam lunch packages from us as we walked back to the lecture hall from
the cafeteria!
Area
51 is in southern Nevada, 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas, on the edge of
usually dry Groom Lake, which is located on the Nevada National Security Site—not
at Nellis Air Force Base, as some assume, which is in North Las Vegas. But our
bus drove along the outskirts of Area 51, and it was desolate country with
coyotes and bobcats now dwelling in the old, abandoned homes that used to house
its construction crews.
Journey through the Key West and the Florida
Keys, the Bahamas and Caribbean with CIA Spymaster Corey Pearson in MISSION OF VENGEANCE!
Although you can find it on a map, don’t
expect to get even remotely close. The perimeter of Area 51 is marked with
orange posts and patrolled by heavily armed guards with zero tolerance for
would-be tourists or curiosity seekers of any kind. Many signs posted warn that
deadly force is authorized against Area 51 trespassers, whether they are
attempting to “storm Area 51” during a viral Facebook event or are simply
hiking up to a vantage point. Thousands CCTV cameras and motion sensors all
throughout the land leading up to the base’s perimeter, and an immediate
response to your presence from security forces is guaranteed.
Its
name comes from old maps of the Nevada Test Site that defined the allocation of
land around Groom Lake as literally the 51st of the many areas that make up the
military base. When Area 51 was first established, Lockheed—one of the U.S.
Government’s major partners in top secret aircraft and spy plane development- called
the area “Paradise Ranch” in an attempt to attract workers to the project.
Since
the 1950s, locals and visitors were mystified when they spotted top secret
aircraft, made of never-before-seen technology, flying at high speeds, and
performing uncommon aerial maneuvers. They had no idea what they saw. Since
these prototypes’ development was top secret, and sightings were rare, it is
easy to understand how they thought the unusual aircraft must have been from
another world.
To
this day, Area 51 remains a top-secret testing facility, and the government and
United States Military don’t want you anywhere near it. My busload of screened AFIO
members were allowed to skirt around the edges of the restricted area, but the
closest you can normally drive to Area 51 keeps you more than 15 rugged,
carefully monitored, and lethally defended miles away.
In
fact, the restricted airspace above Area 51 forms a rectangle with an area of
575 square miles, so don’t expect to get a drone in the sky, either, at least
without an immediate response from camo-clad dudes with guns aimed at your
face.
Lastly, enjoy this very informative video- Government Admits Area 51 Exists.
Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community, and relishes traveling to the Florida Keys and Key West, the Bahamas and Caribbean. He combines both passions in his CoreyPearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thriller: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.
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