Combat Aircraft – September 2019

http://www.combataircraft.net // September 2019 2121

tactics, techniques, and procedures — and

not just for the DoD. The ranges occupy

nearly three million acres of landmass,

and as for airspace, it encompasses 12,000

square nautical miles of both joint-use

Military Operating Area (MOA) and

civilian air tra c access, and over ight is

prohibited.

Often referred to as ‘Paradise Ranch’,

‘Dreamland’, and Area 51, the facilities

within what aviators refer to as the

‘Container’ or R-4808N on sectional

charts, are steeped in both fact and

folklore. Some of the most amazing

aircraft programs in history have deep

roots at the facility, which sits on Groom

Dry Lake. Lockheed’s U-2, SR-71, and the

predecessor of the F-117 all  ew there.

Di erent aircraft with di erent markings

and national origins have been seen

operating in the vicinity of R-4808N. ADS-B

feeds sometimes show curious activity,

usually at odd hours of the night.

It’s an entry on the bucket list of any

military aviation enthusiast to catch even

the faintest glimpse of the adjoining dry

lakebed and its ridiculously long runway.

The facility is also at the heart of almost

every aviation-related conspiracy theory

and UFO story since the much-discussed

recovery of crash debris near Roswell, New

Mexico, in the late 1940s. The area has also

been featured prominently in feature  lms

— Independence Day and its sequel, for

example. Books have been written about

it and television documentaries made.

Some say the entire lunar landing was

 lmed there. Others think alien spacecraft

are kept there. Even aliens themselves

are rumored to be there — or at least

their remains.

Reality strikes

Nevada is the most mountainous state

in the US. Some 150 mountain ranges

Below: This

offi cial photo

dates back to

2013, and was

released before it

was realized that

the Groom Lake

base is shown in

the background.

Ironically, it nicely

illustrates the ring

of security that

surrounds this

highly classifi ed

installation. USAF

Inset: Two

‘Have Blue’

demonstrators

were designed

to provide a

maneuverable

fi ghter

demonstrator

with low-

observable

characteristics,

which led directly

to the F-117

Nighthawk. They

were both test

fl own at Groom

Lake. Lockheed

20-22 Ops Desk C.indd 21 18/07/2019 15:40