US says Area 51 is real (but they have no aliens there)

[Tender Branson]

Area 51 'declassified' in U-2 spy plane history



The CIA has officially acknowledged the secret US test site known as Area 51, in a newly unclassified internal history of the U-2 spy plane programme.

The document obtained by a US university describes the 1955 acquisition of the Nevada site for testing of the secret spy plane.

It also explains the site's lingering association with UFOs and aliens.

The remote patch of desert surrounding Groom Lake was chosen because it was adjacent to a nuclear testing facility.

"The U-2 was absolutely top secret," Chris Pocock, a British defence journalist and author of histories of the programme, told the BBC.

"They had to hide everything about it."

The U-2 plane, developed to spy on the Soviet Union during the Cold War, is still flown by the US Air Force.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23731759

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Yeah, we all knew it was real.  Some declassification.

[John Dibble]

The location of the facility has been known for a long time, and it's been largely speculated it's a facility for testing experimental aircraft as well. Not that this admission will stop the conspiracy theorists.

[Redalgo]

Ya, my impression of the base is consistent with that - a remote military facility used for testing prototype aircraft. I don't think there are any aliens there but am definitely curious about what kinds of jets may be safely kept on site sufficiently far off from prying eyes.

[Goldwater]

Yeah, we all knew it was real.  Some declassification.

[Lambsbread]

Breaking News: US Government admits that sky is blue. More at 11.

[Joe Republic]

I've met a few guys who work up there.  They couldn't discuss what they do of course, but they were otherwise open about it.  It's an aircraft test facility, and always has been.

You can tell which planes leaving McCarran Airport are Area 51 workers; they're plain white with red stripes.

There are even tours based here that take you up to the fences, so you can take photos of... an empty desert and some 'No Entry' signs.

[badgate]

Breaking News: US Government admits that sky is blue. More at 11.

We'll also have the Republican response to the blue sky accusations.

[Lambsbread]

Breaking News: US Government admits that sky is blue. More at 11.

We'll also have the Republican response to the blue sky accusations.

[barfbag]

I'd say there's no aliens too.