Area 51 and its purpose declassified: No UFOs, but lots of U-2 spy planes

[TheDemSocialist]

A newly declassified CIA history from 20 years ago spills the story about Nevada's Area 51 and its secret mission — which was not to study UFOs, but to test the U-2 and other spy planes.The CIA's story about the legendary test site is contained in "The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: the U-2 and Oxcart Programs." The document was approved for release in June, with just a few remaining redactions, in response to a Freedom of Information request filed by George Washington University's National Security Archive back in 2005.
Much of the material was already known to Area 51 aficionados. "Nearly all of the newly released information is already in my books," British author Chris Pocock said in a commentary distributed by the National Security Archive. But the fact that Area 51 is explicitly mentioned in a publicly available document is nevertheless notable.

Read more @: Area 51 and its purpose declassified: No UFOs, but lots of U-2 spy planes - NBC News.com

Its finally been declassified! Area-51 exists (not like we already knew it).

 

[Cecil900]

This still won't change the mind of conspiracy theorists. They will probably just claim the government forged this document to throw people off.

 

[Juanita]

Read more @: Area 51 and its purpose declassified: No UFOs, but lots of U-2 spy planes - NBC News.com

Its finally been declassified! Area-51 exists (not like we already knew it). [/FONT]

Fascinating articles..Thanks for sharing...

 

[ecofarm]

We've known for decades that Area 51 was a test zone for new planes.

The airfield on the Groom Lake site began service in 1942 as Indian Springs Airforce Auxiliary Field,[19]

The wiki citation there is 1982.

By July 1955, CIA, Air Force, and Lockheed personnel began arriving. The Ranch received its first U-2 delivery on 24 July 1955 from Burbank on a C-124 Globemaster II cargo plane, accompanied by Lockheed technicians on a Douglas DC-3.[22]

The wiki citation there is 2000.

Area 51 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What gave you the impression that this was not known?

 

[Fisher]

I think the big reveal, or at least the thing that interested me, was that our spy planes were designed to capture sunlight and look like a fireball in the sky to commercial aircraft flying below.

 

[Midwest Lib]

Huh...and all this time I thought area 51 was in New Mexico. Clearly, I am not too concerned with the goings on there!

 

[Captain Adverse]

Read more @: Area 51 and its purpose declassified: No UFOs, but lots of U-2 spy planes - NBC News.com

Its finally been declassified! Area-51 exists (not like we already knew it). [/FONT]

Let me know when they actually have open tours of the site...until then I'm sticking to the little grey men and a spaceship story! LOL

 

[SheWolf]

If a document says that such and such experimental flight craft was responsible for UFO sightings, that would be cool.

 

[specklebang]

...and we have what reason to believe anything we are told by our secretive government? Who didn't know about the U-2 for the last 40 years?

So, in a sudden burst of transparency......whatever....

 

[Mr.Nick]

Read more @: Area 51 and its purpose declassified: No UFOs, but lots of U-2 spy planes - NBC News.com

Its finally been declassified! Area-51 exists (not like we already knew it). [/FONT]

I doubt our government is flying UFOs (or flying saucers) however, UFO's and aliens certainly exists and they visit earth regularly and our government knows this - just as every government in the world does.

The U2 program has been over for 40 years. Of course the stealth program (as we know it) has been over.... My father actually worked on that program developing advanced radar systems for Northrup - radar systems that had the capabilities of detecting stealth technology in an attempt to improve stealth technology...

 

[obvious Child]

...and we have what reason to believe anything we are told by our secretive government? Who didn't know about the U-2 for the last 40 years?

So, in a sudden burst of transparency......whatever....

If I was them, Area-51 would be the decoy. Real sketch stuff is somewhere else. All warfare is deception. So why not apply that to your secrets? Make people and other governments think that's where you have your goodies when all you're doing is some avionics testing. Do enough secret stuff to warrant attention, but have the real goodies elsewhere.

 

[VanceMack]

Usually, once the government declassifies something it is because they have already moved on or the information has become obsolete.

 

[specklebang]

If I was them, Area-51 would be the decoy. Real sketch stuff is somewhere else. All warfare is deception. So why not apply that to your secrets? Make people and other governments think that's where you have your goodies when all you're doing is some avionics testing. Do enough secret stuff to warrant attention, but have the real goodies elsewhere.

Usually, once the government declassifies something it is because they have already moved on or the information has become obsolete.

Don't credit our "Intelligence Agencies" with that much intelligence

It's probably just a collection of dusty dead Aliens.

 

[mike2810]

well back 40 years ago the U2 was a ufo (unidentified flying object). :lol:

 

[apdst]

Of course there aren't any flying saucers...because there's no such thing.