Area 51 -- It Really Does Exist -- Officially According to the CIA!

National Security Archive

The CIA has finally acknowledged the existence of Area 51 in newly declassified documents detailing the area in the Nevada desert.

These newly declassified documents, obtained by George Washington University's National Security Archive contain hundreds of pages that describe the genesis of the Nevada site that was home to the government's spy plane program for decades. The documents do not, however, mention aliens (surprise, surprise - see my comments below-LVH).

The Las Vegas Sun reports that the first military planes arrived at Area 51 on July 25, 1955, and the first taxi trials began two days later. The first test flight occurred on Aug. 4, 1955, according to the history.

“It marks an end of official secrecy about the facts of Area 51,” National Security Archive senior fellow Jeffrey Richelson  told the Las Vegas Sun. “It opens up the possibility that future accounts of this and other aerial projects will be less redacted, more fully explained in terms of their presence in Area 51.”

Officials have already acknowledged in passing the existence of the facility in central Nevada where the government is believed to test intelligence tools and weapons.  Many of the government and contractor employees working there several years ago were exposed to some experimental chemistry while burning secret materials. They sued the government for medical liability and the government was forced to acknowledge the site in court documents.

Several years ago I wrote a feature article in Monitoring Times (Phantoms in the Desert - July 1997) that included frequencies, call signs etc. In my wrap up I concluded that there were no little green men or space ships out in Area 51. In the final analysis it was just a test site for advanced military airborne technologies.

Boy, did I catch some flack about that article from the "tin foil hat" crowd. One individual wrote to me that "within three months of his letter 'they' would expose me as a government stooge that I was obviously because of my MT article." I never have figured out who the "we" were.

So I guess that "tin foil hat" crowd still will not be convinced with this CIA release either, but that is just the nature of the beast. BTW I'm still waiting to be exposed as a government stooge and I'm so disappointing that still has not happened.

You can download you own copy of the CIA U2 history (all 407 pages) from the George Washington University website.

Burning rubber helps land U-2 safely

by Airman 1st Class Michael Battles, 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFNS) -- Going 100 mph down the flightline might be normal for an F-16 Fighting Falcon, but for the drivers of the U-2 chase car it's also a daily event on the ground.

As an instrument of safety, pilots use the U-2 chase car to monitor take offs and landings of the aircraft in an attempt to warn the pilot of any possible complications or dangers.

"The car is really important as a margin of safety," said Maj. Alex Scott, a 5th Reconnaissance Squadron U-2 pilot. "Actually, in the past they tried using other aircraft as chasers, but they couldn't fly slowly enough, so as a result they started using high-performance muscle cars."

Due to its large wing span, the U-2 is notorious for being one of the most difficult aircraft to land, he said.

During a routine flight, U-2 pilots fly eight hour missions on average.

"While it may seem frivolous to be tearing up and down the runway in a sports car, the (vehicle) is the U-2 pilot's primary source of mutual support and ensures the safe operation of a national asset," said Maj. Carl Maymi, a 5th RS U-2 pilot.

As the aircraft lifts off or lands, pilots in the chase car radio the pilot about wing angles and ground distance.

"We can land the aircraft without it, but if you can take every precaution possible you're going to do it," Scott said.

Along with flight training, U-2 pilots are also required to take a secondary course that teaches them how to properly maintain high-performance cars at top speeds.

"Flooring it and pushing the car to its max speed as fast as you can to catch up to the U-2 is something not many people can say they've done," Scott said.

The chase car can reach speeds of more than 100 mph, but the speed ranges depending on the needs of the outgoing or incoming aircraft.

"The best thing about being a U-2 pilot and chase car driver here in Korea is the relevant information that we get to gather on a day-to-day basis for (United States Forces Korea) and for joint coalition partners," Scott said.

If the thrill of flying at heights of 70,000 feet isn't enough for these pilots, they may also have a career as a race car driver someday.

U-2 to provide imagery support in Haiti

A U-2 taxies down the flightline Jan. 27, 2010 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., in preparation for takeoff to Robins Air Force Base, Ga. The U-2 will provide critical imagery support in the ongoing humanitarian relief mission in Haiti. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Craig Cisek)

by Tech. Sgt. Luke Johnson
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

1/28/2010 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- A U-2 launched from Beale Air Force Base Jan. 27 to provide critical imagery support in the ongoing humanitarian relief mission in Haiti.

The aircraft, temporarily flown out of Robins AFB, Ga., will be used to gather high-quality imagery, broad area shots, which will eliminate the need to patch together smaller images gathered by other intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets currently operating in the Haiti.

"The capabilities of the U-2, with the optical bar camera provide superior imagery that is unsurpassed in many of the reconnaissance platforms flying today," said Maj. Lans Courtney from the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron. "It's also going to fill in the pieces that were not found earlier by other platforms."

The images provided by the U-2 will give decision makers on the ground a broad picture when deciding on how to get help to those who need it the most.

"Some of the imagery we will be providing will be able to show them what roads will be usable so that they can find what areas are accessible on the ground via vehicles," Major Courtney said. "Also, they will be able to prioritize to see what type of areas have been hit the hardest and hopefully this will expedite how quickly they can get in and out of the worst areas in Haiti."

Routinely flown at altitudes nearing 70,000 feet, the U-2 is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude, ISR aircraft, which provides signals, imagery and electronic measurements and signature intelligence. The U-2 is capable of gathering a variety of imagery which can be stored or sent to ground exploitation centers.

"Having the pilot in the cockpit of the U-2 provides some capabilities that might not be available in other platforms, one of which being able to flex the mission on the fly," the major said. For instance, if there are individuals on the ground that we can talk to real time that request imagery that is time-critical or time-sensitive, we might be able to accommodate those requests immediately and provide imagery as quickly as possible."

Major Courtney emphasized the mission is not solely about the U-2 pilot.

"I think its key and important that a lot of different individuals from Beale have all come together to support the humanitarian efforts in Haiti, to include the maintenance group, the intelligence squadrons as well as all the support assets and individuals that went to Georgia in preparation for the arrival of the U-2 and subsequent humanitarian missions over Haiti," he said.

Airmen provide intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance

Airmen quickly remove the final pins from a U-2 before a flight Oct. 4, 2009. The sortie was Capt. Peter J. Gryn's first combat mission. The U-2 is the primary source of high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Captain Gryn is deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

by Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski, U.S. Air Force Central combat camera team

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- Leaders at every level need battlefield information, and because of Airmen with the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron ... now they know.

With their RQ-4 Global Hawk and U-2 aircraft, the Airmen excel at providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for everyone from combatant commanders to troops on the ground.

According to Lt. Col. Kirt Stallings, the squadron commander, their mission is as much a tactical one as it is strategic. The pilots provide leaders with the knowledge they need to make more informed decisions about operations. But the pilots also communicate with joint terminal attack controllers embedded with Army and Marine units, as well as coalition partners.

"When a pilot is overhead, they can talk directly to troops so if guys on the ground need to know what's beyond that next ridge, we can let them know," said Colonel Stallings, a Houston native. "If a JTAC on the ground needs air support, a U-2 pilot can let them know what assets are available for that as well."

Both the U-2 and Global Hawk, deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., have a plethora of sensors, but each aircraft is used in different ways. The U-2 flies above 70,000 feet so it's able to record both signals and still imagery intelligence over a larger area. But because the Global Hawk doesn't have an onboard pilot, it can stay overhead longer than the typical ten hour U-2 sorties.

"Global Hawks and U-2s complement each other," Colonel Stallings explained. "For example, if a U-2 pilot finds four different hot spots that need monitoring, they can reach out to other assets, like Global Hawks, to provide ISR needs. A U-2 is more capable, but a Global Hawk can remain on station after a U-2 has to turn back."

The Global Hawk pilots in theater are responsible for the takeoff and landing; operators back at Beale actually give it commands during most of its mission. Keeping the bulk of Global Hawk operations stateside means a smaller footprint at their deployed location, Maj. Scott Zeller said.

"Having some RQ-4 pilots in theater is a safety net to make sure launches and recoveries go smoothly," said Major Zeller, a Denver native. "Once the aircraft is in the air, we hand-off operations to the pilots back at Beale and they can fly it for the next 20 hours from there."

Unmanned aerial systems provide "an amazing capability" for coalition forces, Major Zeller said. Those capabilities will only get better in the future. The squadron is currently preparing for the newest version of the aircraft, which boasts a larger wingspan and upgraded sensors.

"The Global Hawk is the future of the high-altitude ISR mission," said New Jersey native Maj. Andrew McVicker, the 99th ERS director of operations. "But in the interim, nothing compares to what the U-2 can do. The most impressive thing about our community is that we've been flying the U-2 for more than 50 years and it's just as important today as ever -- it's the stalwart of the battlefield.

"Either way, ISR keeps commanders in the know," Major McVicker said, "and knowing is half the battle."