For decades, the Air Force facility known as Area 51 in Nevada has been the subject of speculation regarding extraterrestrials and their technology, allegedly lurking behind the fences of this secretive site. Books, television programs, and even attempts by many to infiltrate the area have sought answers about what truly lies within.
Amid the arid Nevada desert, a dusty road without any signage leads to the front gate of Area 51. It is protected by a chain-link fence, a large gate, and numerous signs forbidding trespassing.
Outside the gate, cameras monitor every angle. On a distant hill, a white pickup truck with a tinted windshield observes everything below. Locals report that the base can detect animals like rabbits passing through the fence, while others believe there are sensors placed close to the perimeter.
What exactly occurs inside Area 51 remains a significant mystery that has persisted for decades, fostering many intriguing theories about the site. Some believe that extraterrestrials are hiding within the base. Another rumor suggests that the facility is where captured Soviet aircraft are studied. Some even assert that the U.S. government filmed the 1969 moon landing at this base.
A road leading to Area 51.
The Origins of a Mystery
The inception of Area 51 is directly tied to the development of the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. After World War II, the Soviet Union sought to conceal information from its country and Eastern European allies, leaving the rest of the world almost blind to intelligence.
As the Soviet Union supported North Korea’s war efforts in June 1950, it became increasingly clear that the Kremlin was actively expanding its influence. The United States grew concerned about Soviet technology, intentions, and the potential for a surprise attack akin to Japan’s assault on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
In the early 1950s, the U.S. Navy and Air Force dispatched low-flying aircraft for reconnaissance missions over Soviet territory, but they were always at risk of being shot down. In November 1954, President Eisenhower authorized the covert development of a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft known as the U-2 program.
One of the initial missions was to find a secret, remote location to design and test weapons. They found this site in the southern Nevada desert, near a salt flat called Groom Lake, which had previously been a training ground for Air Force pilots during World War II.
Known on maps as Area 51, this location in the middle of nowhere became a highly classified military base. To entice workers to come, Kelly Johnson, one of the leading engineers of the U-2 project, gave it a more appealing name: “Paradise Ranch.”
Kelly Johnson (left) and pilot Francis Gary Powers with a U-2 aircraft behind them. Powers was shot down in the Soviet Union in 1960.
A Legend in the Making
U-2 testing began in July 1955, and reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) immediately surged. Many of these sightings were reported by commercial airline pilots who had never seen an aircraft flying at the altitudes of the U-2.
While today’s planes can fly up to 15,000 meters, in the mid-1950s, commercial flights typically flew at altitudes between 5,000 and 7,000 meters. The most advanced military aircraft could reach around 13,000 meters, leading some to believe that manned flights could not go higher. However, the U-2 soared above 20,000 meters, shocking commercial pilots.
Naturally, Air Force officials knew that the rumors stemmed from U-2 testing, but they were not permitted to disclose these details to the public. Hence, “natural phenomena” or “high-altitude weather research” became the explanations for UFO sightings. Even in 1960, after Gary Powers’ U-2 was shot down in the Soviet Union, the secrecy continued.
Area 51 captured from above (July 20, 2016).
“This is Earth technology”
U-2 operations paused in the late 1950s, but other highly classified military aircraft continued testing at Area 51. Over the years, the A-12 and various stealth aircraft such as the Bird of Prey, F-117A, and TACIT BLUE have been developed and tested in the Nevada desert.
Many declassified documents have revealed Area 51’s role in “Project Have Donut,” an effort in the 1970s to study Soviet MiGs that the U.S. military had secretly acquired.
Peter Merlin, a historian who has studied Area 51 for over three decades, stated: “They were flying adversary aircraft through Area 51 and pitting them against their own fighter jets to develop tactics. And this continues to this day. Now, instead of seeing MiG-17s and 21s, there are MiG-29s and Su-27s.”
However, conspiracy theories about extraterrestrials gained traction when, in 1989, Bob Lazar – an engineer who once worked at Area 51 – claimed in a local Las Vegas news interview that he had seen aliens and had helped design an alien spacecraft while working at the base.
Many dismissed this as fiction and were even irritated by the notion, including Merlin, who has spent years speaking with former engineers and staff of Area 51. Merlin remarked: “This is Earth technology; it is genuinely American technology.”
A sign for tourists about Area 51.
The Truth Is…
Today, Area 51 is still actively used. A look at Google Earth reveals ongoing construction and expansion. Most early mornings, keen-eyed visitors can spot strange lights in the sky moving up and down. These are not UFOs but rather secret aircraft transporting personnel from Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport to the base.
As for what is currently happening in America’s most secretive military base, Merlin has some grounded speculations, including improvements in stealth technology, advanced weaponry, electronic warfare systems, and particularly unmanned aerial vehicles.
Chris Pocock, a renowned U-2 researcher and author of several books on the topic, told Popular Mechanics magazine that advanced aircraft, strange radio communication forms, directed energy weapons, and lasers are currently being developed at the base.
While the legend surrounding Area 51 may be purely fictional, it does not stop people from being curious about this site. The area surrounding the base has become a major tourist attraction.
In 1996, Nevada renamed Highway 375 to “Extraterrestrial Highway,” with interesting destinations like the Alien Research Center… To the west of Area 51 is the Alien Cathouse, advertised as the world’s only alien-themed museum.
Although most people cannot get inside, curious civilians can actually drive to the front and back gates of the base. Locals will guide you, and the Dreamland Resort website provides comprehensive maps and driving directions for tourists.
However, the government does not genuinely want you looking into Area 51. Both Merlin and Pocock confirm that they have been closely monitored by guards and security or even threatened. Do not trespass in this area under any circumstances, or you risk arrest and heavy fines.
