Experts Reveal What Really Happened (Full Episode) | Area 51: The CIA's Secret

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NARRATOR: A SHORT FLIGHT FROM LAS VEGAS DEEP IN THE NEVADA DESERT LIES AREA 51 THE CIA'S SECRET. A GIANT CLANDESTINE BASE THAT REMAINED UNACKNOWLEDGED AND DISAVOWED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR ALMOST SIXTY YEARS. BUT IN AUGUST OF 2013 THE CIA FINALLY ADMITS THIS PLACE IS REAL... AND TODAY RICHARD COE A FORMER U.S. AIR FORCE PILOT IS HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD IT. RICHARD "TEX" COE: THEY JUST PICKED US BACK UP ON RADAR THEY LOST US FOR A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN... NARRATOR: COE IS PROVIDING A LEGAL TOUR OF THE PERIMETER OF AREA 51; SOME OF THE MOST HEAVILY RESTRICTED AIRSPACE ON EARTH AND HE'S BEING TRACKED BY THE AIR FORCE. RICHARD "TEX" COE: THEY OBVIOUSLY WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON US BECAUSE ANYTIME CIVILIANS ARE OPERATING SO CLOSE TO RESTRICTED AIRSPACE THEY PREFER TO OBVIOUSLY KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE. NARRATOR: LOCATED AT GROOM LAKE...AREA 51 IS SURROUNDED BY RESTRICTED AIRSPACE COVERING 440 SQUARE MILES. RICHARD "TEX" COE: BUT AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER I ANTICIPATE THEY'RE GONNA GET MORE AND MORE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING OVER THERE. NARRATOR: HE'S 12 MILES OUT AND AT 10,000 FEET... AMERICA'S HEAVILY GUARDED SECRET BASE COMES INTO VIEW. TOWER: NUMBER 6-2 JULIET SAY DESTINATION AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH RESTRICTED AIRSPACE? NARRATOR: ENTERING ANY CONTROLLED AIRSPACE IN THE U.S. POST 9/11 IS HIGH RISK. BUT OUT HERE SECURITY IS TIGHTER THAN ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY. THE BOX THAT SURROUNDS AMERICA'S TOP-SECRET BASE IS DESIGNATED 4-8-0-8 NORTH. AND THE TOWER NOW ISSUES AN EXPLICIT ORDER FOR THE PILOT TO CHANGE COURSE. TOWER: SKYLANE SIX KILO JULIET IMMEDIATELY TURN NORTH...IMMEDIATELY SIR... FOR RESTRICTED AIRSPACE. NARRATOR: BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE AIRSPACE AROUND AREA 51 THAT'S HEAVILY GUARDED. AEROSPACE HISTORIAN PETER MERLIN HAS BEEN RESEARCHING AREA 51 FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. PETER MERLIN: NOT JUST ANYONE CAN GET INTO AREA 51. IT'S SURROUNDED BY HARSH DESERT BUT ALSO RESTRICTED MILITARY LAND. THERE IS NO FENCE THERE ARE JUST ORANGE POSTS MARKING THE BORDER AND THEY'RE HARD TO SEE. NARRATOR: AREA 51 IS OBSCURED FROM THE ROAD BY MOUNTAINS AND IS PROTECTED BY A SECURITY CORDON RADIATING AT LEAST TEN MILES FROM THE HIDDEN BASE. EVEN ON PUBLIC LAND ACTIVITY HERE IS MONITORED BY THE MILITARY. PETER MERLIN: ANY VEHICLES DRIVING DOWN THE GROOM LAKE ROAD ARE DETECTED BY MAGNETIC SENSORS. EACH ONE SENDS AN ELECTRONIC SIGNAL TO THE GUARD-HOUSE ALERTING THEM SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND HOW FAST YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS DOWN THE ROAD. NARRATOR: 13 MILES PAST THIS POINT IS ONE OF THESE SECURITY OUTPOSTS. PETER MERLIN: SO THIS IS THE BOUNDARY OF AREA 51. WE'VE GOT SECURITY GUARDS WATCHING US FROM THE HILLTOP. WARNING SIGNS TELLING US NOT TO GO ANY FURTHER. THERE ARE ORANGE POSTS THAT MARK THE BOUNDARY ITSELF NO FENCES NO GATES AND CAMERAS WATCHING US FROM THE HILLTOPS. WE DON'T WANT TO CROSS THIS LINE. IF WE DO WE'LL BE ARRESTED. NARRATOR: BUT ACCORDING TO ONE FORMER AREA 51 SECURITY GUARD... TRESPASSERS IN THE PAST FACED A WORSE OUTCOME. FRED DUNHAM: IF THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO PENETRATE THEY GAVE ME THE ALL CLEAR TO WASTE 'EM. NARRATOR: BUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THE NEVADA DESERT? WHY IS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TRYING SO HARD TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT? FINALLY THE TRUTH HAS EMERGED IN DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS JUST PUBLISHED IN AUGUST 2013. ACCORDING TO A REPORT RELEASED BY THE CIA AREA 51 WAS CREATED IN 1955 FOR A SINGLE PURPOSE. TO TEST A TOP-SECRET AIRCRAFT PROJECT CODENAMED "AQUATONE." "AQUATONE" IS THE COLD WAR CODE NAME FOR THE U2 AN AIRCRAFT BUILT TO SPY OVER THE SOVIET UNION AT A TIME WHEN SOVIET PREMIER NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV PUBLICLY BOASTS ABOUT HIS COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. TONY BEVACQUA: THEY WERE BRAGGING ABOUT THEIR MISSILES THEY WERE BRAGGING ABOUT THEIR BOMBERS AND THEY WERE BRAGGING ABOUT THIS AND THAT UH THAT GOT OUR GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION. NARRATOR: IN THE 1950S U.S. RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT ARE VULNERABLE TO SOVIET FIGHTERS AND SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES. FLYING SPY MISSIONS BEHIND ENEMY LINES IN CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT IS TOO RISKY SO THE COVERT "AQUATONE" PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO FLY OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF SOVIET AIR DEFENSES. CAPABLE OF FLYING AT 70'000 FEET... 13 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH THE U2 HAS A RANGE OF 3000 MILES... MORE THAN ENOUGH TO OPERATE BEHIND ENEMY LINES. TONY BEVACQUA: I DID NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THE AIRCRAFT OR WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BUT I KNEW ONE THING ABOUT IT... IT'S A HIGH FLIER. NARRATOR: TONY BEVACQUA JOINS THE SECRET VENTURE IN 1957 AS A PILOT. TONY BEVACQUA: WELL IN THIS LOCKER IS A LIFESAVER THAT WE WORE IN THE U-2 CALLED THE PARTIAL PRESSURE SUIT. THE PARTIAL PRESSURE SUIT KEPT YOU ALIVE... IF YOU LOST PRESSURIZATION THESE OUTSIDE HOSES BLOW UP AND SQUEEZE THESE EVEN TIGHTER AND THAT THAT'S WHAT PREVENTS THE BLOOD FROM BOILING. NARRATOR: IN ADDITION TO LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THE CIA'S SPY PLANE CARRIES 700 POUNDS OF THE LATEST PHOTO IMAGING EQUIPMENT. WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY THE U.S. CAN IN THEORY GET ITS EYES INSIDE THE SOVIET UNION UNDETECTED. BUT TO TEST THE NEW RECONNAISSANCE JET THE CIA WORKING WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE NEEDS A REMOTE LOCATION. PETER MERLIN: GROOM LAKE WAS SELECTED BECAUSE IT WAS IN A VERY SPARSELY POPULATED AREA OF NEVADA. IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND US. IT'S A FLAT FEATURELESS PLAIN OF HARD PACKED CLAY. IT CAN SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF ANY AIRCRAFT SO IT'S A PERFECT NATURAL LANDING FIELD. NARRATOR: IN 1955 CONSTRUCTION OF AMERICA'S SECRET BASE BEGINS. PETER MERLIN: THE AIRFIELD THAT EMERGED FROM THE PRIMORDIAL LAKEBED IT WAS COMPLETELY BARREN BEGAN WITH A 5,0000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. THEN THEY NEEDED HANGARS SO 3 HANGARS WERE BUILT ALONG WITH A FEW WAREHOUSES ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS A CHOW HALL AND RUDIMENTARY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE WORKERS CONSISTING OF ESSENTIALLY A TRAILER PARK. NARRATOR: NAMED AFTER A SIMPLE GRID REFERENCE ON AN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION MAP THE NEWLY CREATED AREA 51 IS SEEN HERE IN A 3D RENDERING OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN HIGH-ALTITUDE PHOTOGRAPH THAT SHOWS THE LAY OUT OF THE CIA'S TOP-SECRET BASE... THE PLACE WHERE TONY BEVACQUA ARRIVES TO WORK ON THE U2. TONY BEVACQUA: WHEN I GOT OFF THERE AT GROOM LAKE... I SEE A RUNWAY... A LITTLE TOWER... UH A COUPLE OF HANGERS... A COMMUNITY CENTRE TYPE BUILDING. WE SLEPT IN TRAILERS AND UH THERE WERE TWO OR THREE OF US IN EACH ONE. NO TV...NO RADIO; IT WAS PRETTY SPARSE. NARRATOR: GIVEN THE SECRECY OF THE CIA PROJECT... ALL OF THE PEOPLE SELECTED TO WORK AT AREA 51 ARE SUBJECT TO INTENSE SCRUTINY. TONY BEVACQUA: SECURITY THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY VERY TIGHT...VERY TIGHT. BEING INFORMED ON WHAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT OR NOT TALK ABOUT STARTS RIGHT AT THE VERY BEGINNING. IT'S JUST THAT WAY. YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S CLASSIFIED. NARRATOR: TO ENSURE SECRECY AND TO PROTECT THE REAL PURPOSE OF THE U-2 SPY PLANE THE CIA CREATES A COVER STORY. IT ANNOUNCES THAT THE HIGH-FLYING U-2 IS GOING TO BE FLOWN OUT OF A PLACE CALLED "WATERTOWN STRIP NEVADA" ON WEATHER OBSERVATION MISSIONS. BUT IN THE LATE 1950'S CIA DOCUMENTS CONFIRM THAT U-2 OPERATIONS AT AREA 51 ARE DISRUPTED BY ANOTHER TOP-SECRET GOVERNMENT PROGRAM. ON THE EDGE OF THE NEVADA TESTING RANGE THE HOME OF AMERICA'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM... AREA 51 LIES DOWNWIND OF RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT. JULES KABAT: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STARTED BOTHERING ME ABOUT WORKING UP THERE IS THAT IT'S DIRECTLY NORTH EAST OF WEAPONS TEST. THE PREVAILING WINDS IN LAS VEGAS ARE FROM THE SOUTH WEST AND WHEN THEY WERE DOING ABOVE GROUND TESTING... ALL THIS RADIOACTIVE DUST WOULD FLY INTO THE AIR AND OF COURSE THERE WAS PLENTY TO WORRY ABOUT DUE TO FALLOUT. NARRATOR: FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS AS AMERICA TESTS NUCLEAR WARHEADS JUST 30 MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST. THE CIA'S SECRET AIRSTRIP IN NEVADA REMAINS LARGELY UNOCCUPIED TOO DANGEROUS DUE TO NUCLEAR FALLOUT. BUT DESPITE THE INTERRUPTIONS AT THE BASE THE CIA STARTS A NEW PROJECT... ONE THAT WILL DEFINE THE FUTURE OF AREA 51. NARRATOR: TODAY AMERICA'S STEALTH AIRCRAFT HAVE A REPUTATION FOR NEAR INVISIBILITY TO ENEMY RADAR... BUT BACK IN THE LATE 50'S THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE "STEALTH" IS FLYING AT EXTREME ALTITUDE. KING OF THESE BIRDS IS THE CIA'S U-2. BUT ON MAY 1 1960... AMERICA'S TOP SECRET SPYING MISSION OVER THE SOVIET UNION IS BLOWN WHEN A USSR SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE DOWNS A HIGH-FLYING U-2 ... PILOTED BY FRANCIS GARY POWERS WE NOW KNOW THAT THE CIA PREDICTED THIS MiGHT HAPPEN. PETER MERLIN: THE CIA KNEW THAT SOVIET SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE TECHNOLOGY WAS GOING TO CATCH UP TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD SHOOT DOWN A HIGH FLYER LIKE THE U2. IT WAS NO LONGER ENOUGH TO HAVE AN AIRPLANE THAT COULD JUST FLY SEVERAL TIMES THE HEIGHT OF A NORMAL AIRPLANE. NARRATOR: A CIA "STEALTH" PROGRAM CODENAMED PROJECT RAINBOW IS GREEN-LIT TO CAMOUFLAGE THE U-2. PETER MERLIN: IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE U2 LESS VULNERABLE TO SOVIET RADAR... THE TEST TEAM AT AREA 51 APPLIED A LAYER OF RADAR ABSORBENT MATERIAL TO THE FUSELAGE OF THE U-2 PROTOTYPE. IT CONSISTED OF A CONDUCTIVE GRID PATTERN ON A FLEXIBLE SHEET-WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO A LAYER OF HONEYCOMB GLUED TO THE SURFACE OF THE AIRCRAFT'S SKIN. THE GRID PATTERNED EARN EARNED THE MATERIAL THE NICKNAME WALLPAPER. NARRATOR: BUT ADDING 'WALLPAPER' ADDS WEIGHT TO THE AIRCRAFT AND REDUCES ITS ABILITY TO FLY HIGH MAKING IT MORE VULNERABLE TO SOVIET DEFENSES. PETER MERLIN: BECAUSE THE "WALLPAPER" WAS NOT A HUGE SUCCESS THE CIA BEGAN LOOKING INTO THE IDEA OF A SUCCESSOR TO THE U-2. AN AIRPLANE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO FLY HIGHER AND FASTER AND BE LESS VISIBLE TO RADAR. NARRATOR: UNLIKE THE U-2 THE CIA'S NEXT AIRCRAFT PROJECT CODENAMED "OXCART" HAS STEALTHY CAPABILITIES ENGINEERED INTO IT FROM DAY ONE. PETER LAW: THEY TOLD US THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS SO CLASSIFIED THAT THE DOCUMENTS WEREN'T EVEN MARKED BECAUSE IF UH SOMEBODY ACCIDENTALLY HAD A FOLDER THAT BLEW OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND THE PAPERS WENT BLOWING DOWN THE STREET THAT IF IT SAID SECRET ON IT EVERYBODY'D WANNA KNOW WHAT IT WAS BUT IF IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY MARKINGS WHATSOEVER THE PEOPLE WOULD JUST SWEEP IT UP AND THROW IT INTO THE INTO A TRASH CAN AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE FACT IT WAS CLASSIFIED. NARRATOR: DETAILS OF THIS CIA OPERATION WERE TOP-SECRET FOR DECADES. BUT NOW WITH THE RECENT RELEASE OF CIA DOCUMENTS IT'S OKAY FOR MEN WHO WORKED ON THE SO-CALLED "OXCART" PROGRAM TO REVEAL SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES AT AREA 51. ONE OF THEM IS THORNTON TD BARNES. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: IT TOOK ME 3 MONTHS TO BE CLEARED FORTH PROJECT. AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME "OXCART" WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THE UNITED STATES WERE DOING. WE WERE DEVELOPING THE STEALTH PLANE...SOMETHING NO ONE ELSE HAD BEEN ABLE TO DO. THEY TOLD US "WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO RECORD IT." "DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT...IT DOESN'T EXIST." NARRATOR: SECRECY IS ALL-IMPORTANT BECAUSE PROJECT "OXCART'S" NEW JET CALLED THE A-12 IS EQUIPPED WITH STATE OF THE ART MATERIALS TO REDUCE ITS VISIBILITY TO RADAR. PETER LAW: A-12 WAS THE BEST AIRCRAFT EVER BUILT AND IT WAS SO FAR AHEAD OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT PEOPLE HAD ON THE BOARDS. NARRATOR: DESIGNED TO FLY AT 90,000 FEET AND AT SPEEDS FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET THE CIA'S A-12 SPY-PLANE IS BUILT TO WITHSTAND TEMPERATURES HUNDREDS OF DEGREES GREATER THAN THE U-2. PETER LAW... A THERMODYNAMIC ENGINEER AT LOCKHEED WORKED ON THE HIGH-FLYING AIRCRAFT AT THE COMPANY'S LEGENDARY SKUNK-WORKS FACTORY IN BURBANK, CALIFORNIA. PETER LAW: WHEN YOU'RE FLYING THE SPEED OF THE U-2 EVERYTHING'S TOO COLD NOW WHEN YOU FLY THE SPEED OF THE A-12 NOW IT'S TOO HOT. NARRATOR: THE ONLY METAL LIGHT ENOUGH... AND STRONG ENOUGH... TO WITHSTAND THE HIGH TEMPERATURES LOCKHEED'S A-12 IS EXPOSED TO IS TITANIUM; IN SHORT SUPPLY IN THE UNITED STATES. IRONICALLY BACK THEN THE SOVIET UNION IS THE ONLY RELIABLE PLACE TO SOURCE THE TITANIUM THEY NEED. SO THE CIA CREATES A SERIES OF DUMMY COMPANIES TO BUY THE MATERIEL DIRECTLY FROM ITS COLD WAR ENEMY. PETER LAW: RUSSIA SUPPLIED THE TITANIUM THAT MADE THE A-12'S OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT. THAT WAS ANOTHER AMAZING THING FOR US AS ENGINEERS... WOW! WE'RE MAKING SOME SOMETHING OUT OF THEIR MATERIAL TO GO TAKE PICTURES OVER THEIR COUNTRY AND UH THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TOO EAGER TO SELL US THAT TITANIUM IF THEY KNEW WHERE IT WAS GOING! NARRATOR: LOCKHEED ENGINEERS DESIGN THE A-12 TO BE DIFFICULT TO SPOT ON RADAR BUT TO TEST IT OUT THEY NEED TO EVALUATE ITS RADAR CROSS SECTION. PETER MERLIN: RADAR CROSS SECTION IS THE KEY TO STEALTH. AN AIRPLANE PRESENTS A CERTAIN SIGNATURE TO THE RADAR DEPENDING ON HOW REFLECTIVE IT IS. YOU COULD HAVE A SMALL AIRCRAFT THAT'S EXTREMELY REFLECTIVE AND LOOKS LARGE ON RADAR OR A LARGE AIRCRAFT THAT'S NOT PARTICULARLY REFLECTIVE THAT LOOKS RELATIVELY SMALL ON RADAR. THE KEY TO STEALTH IS MAKING THE RADAR SIGNATURE AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE. NARRATOR: AT AREA 51 THE RADAR SIGNATURE OF AN AIRCRAFT IS EVALUATED ON A PYLON AFFECTIONATELY CALLED "THE POLE." A COVERT FACILITY SITUATED AT THE NORTHEAST END OF THE AREA 51 COMPLEX. ON THE TOP OF THIS SIXTY-FOOT STRUCTURE A FULL-SCALE MODEL OF THE A-12 IS SUBJECTED TO 18 MONTHS OF TESTING. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: WE HAD ALL THESE RADAR... EVERY RADAR KNOWN TO MAN AT THE TIME LOOKING AT THE OBJECT WE HAD ON THE POLE AND WE WOULD... COULD RECORD THE RETURNS OF THE PATTERN OR THE SIGNATURE WE'D GET THE REFLECTIONS OFF OF THAT OBJECT AND WE COULD ROTATE IT...WE COULD TILT IT AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING TO DEVELOP STEALTH. NARRATOR: EVEN FOR THOSE CLEARED TO WORK ON THE A-12 PROJECT ACCESS TO THE RADAR FACILITIES AT AREA 51 IS STRICTLY ON A "NEED TO KNOW" BASIS. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: PEOPLE WERE NOT ALLOWED IN MY BUILDING BECAUSE WE WERE DOING THINGS THERE THAT THEY HAD NO NEED TO KNOW. PETER LAW: I DIDN'T HAVE THE LEVEL OF CLEARANCE THAT THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH SIGNATURES... THAT WAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SECURITY AND THEY DIDN'T ASK ME ABOUT THE THERMAL PART OF IT EVEN THOUGH THEY NEEDED TO KNOW AN ANSWER I DIDN'T HAVE A NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY EXISTED THAT'S HOW COMPARTMENTED THINGS WERE. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: IT WAS A CULTURE AND WE THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. YOU JUST DIDN'T ASK. NARRATOR: TO SUPPORT THE CIA'S TOP SECRET "OXCART" PROJECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS A-12 SPY-PLANE... AREA 51 NEEDS SOME MAJOR CHANGES. PETER MERLIN: THE CIA DECIDED TO INVEST A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TO BUILD UP A BASE THAT INCLUDED ADDING A BRAND NEW RUNWAY 8500 FEET LONG MADE OF CONCRETE WITH A 6000 FOOT EXTENSION ON TO THE LAKE BED. NARRATOR: IN ADDITION THREE NEW HANGARS ARE BUILT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BASE. THESE ARE DESIGNATED HANGAR 4...5 AND 6. PETER MERLIN: THE A-12 PROJECT "OXCART" TURNED AREA 51 WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY A TEMPORARY FACILITY INTO A PERMANENT ONE. NARRATOR: BY FEBRUARY 1962 AREA 51 IS NOW EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH A WORKING PROTOTYPE OF THE A-12 BUT FIRST THE SECRET PLANE HAS TO GET THERE. THE AIRCRAFT CAN'T FLY UNTIL ITS BEEN TESTED AT AREA 51 SO LOCKHEED AND THE CIA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE IT OVER 300 MILES FROM THE FACTORY IN BURBANK, CALIFORNIA TO AREA 51 IN NEVADA. AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP IT A SECRET. TOM STANKS: THEY THEY PUT IT IN WHAT THEY CALL A BOX. 105 FEET LONG AND 35 FEET WIDE. AND THEY HAD THE AIRCRAFT INSIDE OF IT. NARRATOR: AREA 51 SECURITY GUARD TOM STANKS JOINS THE CONVOY OF CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL AND CIA OPERATIVES WHO ACCOMPANY THE AIRCRAFT AS THESE REMARKABLE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW WIDENING THE ROAD CUTTING DOWN TREES AND REMOVING SIGNPOSTS SO THE ENORMOUS TRUCK CAN PASS. TOM STANKS: WE ALWAYS PARKED IN AN AREA THAT WAS REMOTE ON THE SIDES OF THE ROADS. AND THE TIMES THAT WE STOPPED OVERNIGHT IS WHEN THE QUESTIONS WOULD BE ASKED. I KNOW AT ONE TIME WE HAD TWO CHILDREN ON BIKES AND THEY SAID "WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IN THAT THING?" AND I SAID "FLYING SAUCER." THEY SAID "YEAH?" I SAID "YEAH THAT'S RIGHT... FLYING SAUCER AND I DON'T BELIEVE YOU." I SAID "WELL... MAYBE IT'S NOT." NARRATOR: IN TOTAL... EIGHTEEN CONVOYS ARE NEEDED TO DELIVER THE CIAS A-12'S TO THE TEST SITE. TOM STANKS IS NO LONGER CLEARED FOR ACCESS TO AREA 51 SO TODAY THIS IS AS FAR AS HE CAN TAKE US. TOM STANKS: WELL HERE WE ARE WE MADE IT 3 DAYS FROM BURBANK, CALIFORNIA TO HERE. THIS IS WHERE NEVADA TEST SITE IS AND NOT TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD IS WHERE THE NEVADA HIGHWAY PATROL LEAVES US THE-THE MERCURY PATROL CATCHES US AND THEY TAKE US TO THE AREA 51 TEST SITE. NARRATOR: 60 YEARS AGO... 57 MILES DOWN THIS ROAD THE CIA'S TOP SECRET AIRCRAFT ARRIVES AT AREA 51 AND SO BEGINS A NEW CHAPTER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STEALTH. NARRATOR: BY EARLY 1960 AMERICA IS PLAYING TECHNOLOGICAL CATCH-UP WITH ITS ARCHENEMY THE SOVIET UNION. INTELLIGENCE GATHERING IS THE NEW BATTLEGROUND OF THE COLD WAR AND OVER 50 YEARS LATER DOCUMENTS NOW REVEAL THAT THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AT AREA 51 GOES TO EXTREME LENGTHS TO KEEP IT'S A-12 AIRPLANE PROJECT CODENAMED "OXCART" UNDER WRAPS. IN 1962 LAS VEGAS RESIDENT TOM STANKS WORKS AS A SECURITY GUARD AT THE TEST-SITE. HIS JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT ONLY THOSE WITH THE RIGHT CREDENTIALS GET ACCESS TO THE BASE. TOM STANKS: THEY HAD THE PLANES COMING IN IN THE MORNING AND LEAVING IN THE AFTERNOON. AND JUST LIKE ANY AIRPORT OR AIRLINE EVERYONE HAD A BADGE. JULES KABAT: THEY TOOK THE BADGE AWAY FROM YOU SO IT COULDN'T BE TAMPERED WITH AND WHEN YOU CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY THEY WOULD MATCH THE BADGE TO YOUR FACE. I REMEMBER IS THE GUARDS BEING VERY FUSSY ABOUT TAKING IT AWAY FROM YOU BEFORE YOU LEFT GIVING IT BACK TO YOU COMPARING IT EVERY TIME. NARRATOR: JULES KABAT IS JUST 22 WHEN HE IS RECRUITED TO WORK AT AREA 51. LIKE EVERYONE EMPLOYED TO WORK ON SPECIAL PROJECTS AT THE BASE HE NEEDS TO BE CLEARED FOR ACCESS... A PROCESS THAT TAKES MONTHS TO COMPLETE. JULES KABAT: BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF COMPUTERS BACK THEN... THEY HAD TO DO IT "THE OLD FASHIONED WAY"... WITH LEGWORK. SO I REMEMBER NEIGHBORS... FRIENDS SAYING THEY WERE VISITED BY THE FBI OR SOME OTHER AGENCY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT I WAS A FOREIGN AGENT. NARRATOR: THE NEED FOR THIS INTENSE SECURITY IS DRIVEN BY ONE FACTOR. DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS RELEASED BY THE CIA SHOW THAT IN THE EARLY 1960'S AREA 51 IS FOCUSED ON GETTING IT'S A-12 STEALTH PLANE PROJECT CODE NAMED "OXCART" OUT OF DEVELOPMENT AND INTO OPERATION... A PROJECT SO SENSITIVE THAT EVEN THE AIRCRAFT HAVE CODE NAMES. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: WE DIDN'T CALL THE PLANES PLANES... WE CALLED THEM ARTICLES THAT WAS THE TERMINOLOGY THAT WE USED FOR 'EM. EACH HAD A DIFFERENT ARTICLE NUMBER. THE FIRST ONE WAS ARTICLE 121 WE HAD ARTICLE 127...131 DIFFERENT ARTICLE NUMBERS. NARRATOR: AT EVERY LEVEL THE A-12 PROGRAM IS PROTECTED BY ACRONYMS AND MISINFORMATION. EVEN THE IDENTITY OF THE A-12 PILOTS. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: THEY HAD PSEUDO NAMES ENTIRELY. THEY DID NOT USE THEIR REAL NAMES. THE CIA GOT THE NAMES OFF OF GRAVESTONES IN EUROPE. AND ASSIGNED THEM TO THE PILOTS... NARRATOR: BUT "OXCART'S" "NEED TO KNOW SECURITY" MEANS EVEN THE "DRIVERS" AS THE PILOTS ARE CALLED ARE NOT CLEARED TO KNOW EVERYTHING. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: THE PILOT DID NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT HIS MISSION WAS. ALL HE KNEW IS AT A CERTAIN POINT ALONG THIS FLIGHT HE HAS FLIPPED HIS SWITCH MAKE THIS TURN TO THIS ANGLE GO SO LONG TURN HERE TURN HERE COME HOME AND NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NARRATOR: THESE PRECAUTIONS ARE NECESSARY. BY THE 1960'S THE SOVIET UNION HAS LEAPFROGGED THE U.S. IN THE COLD WAR BATTLE FOR MILITARY ESPIONAGE. IN 1957 THE SOVIET UNION LAUNCHES SPUTNIK ONE BECOMING THE FIRST NATION ON EARTH TO PUT A MANMADE OBJECT IN SPACE. [BEEPING] ANNOUNCER: UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO THAT SOUND HAD NEVER BEEN HEARD ON THIS EARTH. SUDDENLY IT HAS BECOME AS MUCH A PART OF 20TH CENTURY LIFE AS THE WHIRR OF YOUR VACUUM CLEANER. NARRATOR: THE WORLD'S FIRST ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE IS AN ALUMINUM SPHERE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BEACH BALL. INSIDE A BATTERY PACK AND BASIC RADIO SENDS OUT A REPEATING PULSE. BUT ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY DO VERY MUCH... IT CATCHES THE WORLD'S ATTENTION AND AMERICA OFF-GUARD. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: WHEN SPUTNIK LAUNCHED WE HEARD THAT LITTLE SATELLITE GOING OVER... "BEEP...BEEP...BEEP...BEEP." WE REALIZED WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM THEY'RE AHEAD OF US. WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW FAR AHEAD. NARRATOR: IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOW THE SOVIETS LAUNCH MORE AND MORE SOPHISTICATED SATELLITES MANY OF THEM FLYING OVER THE UNITED STATES AND WORRYINGLY FOR THE THOSE ON THE "OXCART" PROGRAM PHOTOGRAPHING AREA 51. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: WE HAD THE A-12 PROTOTYPE ON THE POLE FOR 18 MONTHS. BUT EVERY TIME A SATELLITE WOULD COME OVER WE KNEW THAT MORNING WHAT TIME IT WOULD BE COMING OVER THE HORIZON OUR INTELLIGENCE WAS THAT GOOD AND WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF THE POLE AND RUN IT IN TO A BUILDING UNTIL THE SATELLITE PASSED. NARRATOR: BUT EVEN THESE PRECAUTIONS HAVE THEIR LIMITATIONS. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: IRONICALLY WE LEARNED MANY-MANY YEARS LATER THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN THE SHAPE OF THE A-12 FROM THE SHADOW BECAUSE THE GROUND WAS COOLER UNDERNEATH IT. WE'D MOVED THE PLANE IT WAS GONE BUT THEY COULD TELL THAT IT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE HEAT. NARRATOR: BY THE LATE 1960'S SOVIET SATELLITES AREN'T THE ONLY THINGS ADDING NEW IMPETUS TO TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AT AREA 51. THE VIETNAM WAR IS IN FULL SWING AND FOR AMERICAN FIGHTERS... THE SOVIET BUILT MiG AIRCRAFT IS PROVING TO BE A REAL HANDFUL. THORNTON BARNES: WE KNEW THE RUSSIANS HAD COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS GREAT IT'S IT'S WHACKING US THIS IT'S KNOCKING OUR PILOTS OUT THE SKY WE DID WE THOUGHT IT WAS A SUPER PLANE. NARRATOR: NOW THE CIA DOSSIER PUBLISHED IN AUGUST 2013 LIFTS THE LID ON AN AREA 51 PROJECT THAT'S BEEN HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC FOR THE LAST FIFTY YEARS. NARRATOR: DECLASSIFIED CIA DOCUMENTS CONTAIN A PREVIOUSLY CENSORED HISTORY OF "WHY" AND "HOW" AREA 51 GREW OUT OF THE NEVADA DESERT AND REVEAL AN EVOLVING PICTURE OF THE NATURE OF THE WORK CARRIED OUT THERE. THORNTON TD BARNES: AREA 51 IS NOT REALLY AN AIRBASE. IT'S A LABORATORY. IT'S A TECHNOLOGICAL LABORATORY. IT'S WHERE WE WERE EXPLOITING ENEMY TECHNOLOGY AND ANALYZING THE CAPABILITIES OF SOVIET UNION. NARRATOR: IN 1968 THIS "LABORATORY" BECOMES AMERICA'S BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR A MAJOR NEW INITIATIVE TO TEST AND EVALUATE ITS ENEMIES' JET FIGHTERS. A PROGRAM THAT GROWS OUT OF U.S. LOSSES IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE VIETNAM WAR. FOR EVERY RUSSIAN BUILT MiG-21 AMERICAN PILOTS SHOOT DOWN IN THE CONFLICT... NINE U.S. BUILT F-4 FIGHTERS ARE BEING DESTROYED. IN 1968 THE U.S. ACQUIRES A MiG-21 THAT HAS BEEN FLOWN TO ISRAEL BY AN IRAQI DEFECTOR. THE CIA SECRETLY SHIPS IT TO AREA 51 FOR EVALUATION-TESTING UNDER THE CODENAME "HAVE DOUGHNUT." THORNTON "TD" BARNES: THE FIRST TIME I SAW THIS BABY WAS IN 1968 ONE JUST LIKE THIS GROOM LAKE AREA 51. WE PRETTY WELL TORE IT DOWN AND LOOKED AT EVERYTHING. THE RADIOS... THE HYDRAULICS... THE ENGINES EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PLANE WE EXAMINED IT. NARRATOR: THE RESULTS OF THE MiG-21 EVALUATION AT AREA 51 ARE CLEAR. IT ISN'T THE AIRCRAFT THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THORNTON TD BARNES: WE REALIZED IT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE PLANES IT WAS OUR PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIGHT. SIMPLE AS THAT. NARRATOR: NOW AREA 51 BECOMES THE BIRTHPLACE OF A NEW TOP SECRET INITIATIVE; TRAINING AMERICAN FIGHTER PILOTS HOW TO DEFEAT SOVIET MiG'S IN A DOGFIGHT. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: WE REALIZED THAT IT TOOK TEN MISSIONS IN THE WAR ZONE FOR A PILOT TO BECOME EXPERIENCED ENOUGH THAT HE MiGHT SURVIVE THE WAR. AND SO WE DECIDED WITH WHAT WE LEARNED AT AREA 51 LET'S GIVE THESE PILOTS THOSE TEN MISSIONS IN NEVADA BEFORE WE SEND THEM TO THE WAR ZONE. NARRATOR: TO SUPPORT THIS NEW PROGRAM AREA 51 UNDERGOES A NEW CONSTRUCTION PHASE. FOR THE THIRD TIME IN ITS SHORT LIFE... MORE FACILITIES ARE ADDED. FIVE MORE HANGARS ARE CONSTRUCTED AT THE SOUTH END OF THE TEST SITE. AND TO PREVENT ANY SIGHTINGS OF THE TOP SECRET U.S. FLOWN MiGS OUT AT GROOM THE AIRSPACE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE RANGE IS CLOSED... PERMANENTLY. BUT DESPITE EXTENSIVE MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SECRECY OF THE MiG TRAINING AND COMBAT OPERATIONS AT AREA 51 ITS COVER IS ALMOST BLOWN IN 1974 WHEN SKYLAB ASTRONAUTS UNWITTINGLY PHOTOGRAPH THE BASE FROM SPACE. THE SKYLAB INCIDENT MARKS A WATERSHED MOMENT IN THE LIFE OF AREA 51. BY THE MID 1970'S THE AGENCY'S U2 AND A-12 PROJECTS ARE WINDING DOWN AT THE TEST SITE. ADVANCES IN SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY MAKE HIGH-FLYING SPY PLANES REDUNDANT. NOW THE U.S. AIR FORCE TAKES CONTROL OF THE BASE. PETER MERLIN: THAT WAS A HUGE MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF AREA 51. WE'RE TRANSITIONING FROM USE BY THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE... USHERING IN ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS IN MILITARY TECHNOLOGY THE STEALTH REVOLUTION. NARRATOR: WHEN THE U.S. AIR FORCE TAKES CONTROL OF AREA 51 IN 1978 IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOST HIGHLY CLASSIFIED PROJECT EVER TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE TEST SITE. THORNTON TD BARNES: THE MOST EXCITING PLANE THAT I WORKED ON AT AREA 51 WAS THE "HAVE BLUE"... THE PROTOTYPES WHEN THEY BROUGHT THAT THING IN IT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING WE'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN OUR LIVES. NARRATOR: THE FLAT-FACETED FUSELAGE OF THE HAVE BLUE IS A REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN. AND IT NEEDS TO BE. THE EXPERIMENTAL JET IS DESIGNED WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND. STEALTH. UNLIKE THE A-12 WHICH CAN BE SEEN ON RADAR BUT COMPENSATES BY FLYING IN THE STRATOSPHERE AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS THE HAVE BLUE A SUB-SONIC JET IS DESIGNED TO BE VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE TO RADAR. PETER LAW: WHEN IT TOOK ITS RADAR TESTS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INSIDE WHO WEREN'T CLEARED WERE LOOKING AT THE RADAR AND SAID "WELL YOU YOUR MODEL MUST HAVE FALLEN OFF THE UH OFF THAT UH POLE OUT THERE BECAUSE IT... THERE'S NOTHING UP THERE ANYMORE!" NARRATOR: NOT BAD FOR AN AIRCRAFT 38 FEET LONG AND WITH A WINGSPAN OF 22. THIS SUCCESS SEES THE U.S. AIR FORCE GREEN LIGHT PRODUCTION OF AN OPERATIONAL AIRCRAFT DESIGNATED THE F-117. BUT CREATING THE WORLD'S FIRST AIRCRAFT VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE TO RADAR HAS AN IMPACT ON THOSE WHO WORK AT AREA 51. SOME EMPLOYEES CLAIM THE DISPOSAL OF ANTI RADAR COATINGS USED ON THE JET HARMS THEIR HEALTH; AN ALLEGATION THAT FORCES THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO TAKE ACTION. NARRATOR: AREA 51. SINCE ITS CREATION IN 1955 THE EXOTIC NATURE OF THE CIA AIRCRAFT TESTED HERE BREAK AVIATION RECORDS. FLYING HIGHER AND FASTER THAN ANY AIRCRAFT BEFORE. DURING THE COLD WAR THESE CLANDESTINE JETS FLYING FROM THE SECRETIVE BASE FUEL A RAFT OF UFO SIGHTINGS FIRING THE IMAGINATION OF AMERICANS ALREADY STEEPED IN 50'S UFO CULTURE. U.S. MILITARY: THE RECENT SIGHTINGS ARE IN NO WAY CONNECTED WITH ANY SECRET DEVELOPMENTS BY ANY AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES... NARRATOR: BUT DENIALS THAT AREA 51 IS AT THE HEART OF A UFO CONSPIRACY FUELS SPECULATION AND IN THE 1980'S IT REACHES FEVER PITCH WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY CLAIMS OF THIS MAN. BOB LAZAR: HI I'M BOB LAZAR... DURING LATE 1988 AND EARLY 89 I WORKED ON PROPULSIONS SYSTEMS OF EXTRA TERRESTRIAL VEHICHLES FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. NARRATOR: LAZAR'S CLAIMS ABOUT AREA 51 MAKES THE BASE ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT LOCATIONS IN THE WORLD. BUT THE UNWANTED ATTENTION CAN'T COME AT A WORSE TIME FOR THE U.S. AIR FORCE. AREA 51 IS RIGHT AT THE HEART OF ITS MOST HIGHLY CLASSIFIED PROJECT YET... STEALTH. PETER MERLIN: THE LEVEL OF SECRECY SURROUNDING STEALTH IS CONSIDERED TO BE COMPARABLE TO OR EXCEEDING THAT OF THE MANHATTAN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OF THE ATOMIC BOMB. STEALTH WAS ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF MILITARY TECHNOLOGY. NARRATOR: THE CREATION OF WHAT BECOMES THE F-117 STEALTH BOMBER TAKES AREA 51 IN TO NEW ERA OF STEALTH TECHNOLOGY. IN PARTICULAR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RADAR ABSORBING MATERIALS OR R.A.M. PETER MERLIN: THE CONCEPT OF RAM IS NOT CLASSIFIED BUT ITS COMPOSITION WAS ONE OF THE HOTTEST SECRETS AT ALL OF THE ERA. TO THIS DAY THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS RAM TO BE TOP SECRET. NARRATOR: RADAR ABSORBING MATERIAL AS THE NAME SUGGESTS IS A CLASS OF MATERIALS USED TO DISGUISE A VEHICLE OR STRUCTURE FROM RADAR. EXPERTS SURMISE THAT THE F-117'S RAM IS MADE UP OF SHEETS ABOUT THE THICKNESS OF LINOLEUM AND A PAINT CONTAINING TINY SPHERES COATED WITH IRON FERRITE WHICH VIBRATE WHEN HIT BY RADAR WAVES. THE EXACT MAKE-UP OF THIS RADAR-ABSORBENT MATERIAL IS STILL TOP SECRET BUT ACCORDING TO THIS MAN RAM IS THE REASON HE'S DYING. FRED DUNHAM: WELL THESE PILLS HERE ARE VITAMIN D-3 PILLS WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE VERY GOOD FOR STIMULATING UH CELL GROWTH IN THE THE LUNGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE DOCTORS TOLD ME THAT I MIGHT LIVE TO BE 64. THAT MEANS I ONLY HAVE A YEAR LEFT. NARRATOR: FRED DUNHAM... A FORMER AREA 51 SECURITY GUARD SUFFERS FROM CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE A CONDITION HE SAYS HE DEVELOPED OVERSEEING THE DISPOSAL OF BARRELS OF RAM IN BURN PITS AT AREA 51 IN THE 1980S. FRED DUNHAM: THE DRUMS CONTAINED CARBON FIBRE RESIN AND SEALANTS UH FOR FOR MAKING THE WINGS UH AND-AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT THAT WERE VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN THEY WERE BURNED. NARRATOR: NO SATELLITE IMAGES OF AREA 51 THAT SHOW THESE BURN PITS ARE KNOWN TO EXIST BUT ACCORDING TO DUNHAM'S DESCRIPTION IT IS POSSIBLE TO PLOT THEM ONTO A MAP OF THE BASE. FRED DUNHAM: THEY WERE JUST WEST OF THE SOUTH GATE CONTROL POINT... THERE WAS AT LEAST SIX MAYBE SEVEN BURN PITS THAT WERE RIGHT WITHIN 300 YARDS OF THE BASE POPULATION. NARRATOR: ACCORDING TO DUNHAM EACH BURN LASTS 24 HOURS AND HAPPENS TWICE A WEEK FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD THROUGH THE MID-EIGHTIES EXPOSING HIM TO CLOUDS OF TOXIC FUMES. FRED DUNHAM: IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE HAD BURNED A BUNCH OF RUBBER TIRES UH THE SOOT THAT WAS IN THE AIR WAS UNBELIEVABLE. NARRATOR: DUNHAM BELIEVES HIS BREATHING PROBLEMS COME FROM THE SOOT AND THE FUMES. FRED DUNHAM: I'M A NON SMOKER AND THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT MY LUNGS LOOK LIKE THE LUNGS OF AN 80 YEAR OLD MAN WHO HAD SMOKED FOUR PACKS OF CIGARETTES EVERY DAY. NARRATOR: IN THE 90'S THE FORMER SECURITY GUARD ALONG WITH OTHERS BRINGS A CASE AGAINST THE STATE FOR MEDICAL COMPENSATION... BUT THE CASE IS REJECTED WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNS A DETERMINATION WHICH EXCLUDES GROOM LAKE FROM ANY INVESTIGATION ON THE GROUNDS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. NARRATOR: FOR NEARLY 60 YEARS THE TRUE STORY OF AREA 51 WAS HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC. BUT THE RELEASE OF CIA DOCUMENTS IN 2013 HELPS CHANGE THAT. PETER MERLIN: THESE DOCUMENTS FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FINALLY DECLASSIFIED CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF AREA 51 AS AN OFFICIAL ENTITY AND WE CAN AT LAST BEGIN TO UNRAVEL ITS SECRETS. NARRATOR: THOSE DOCUMENTS ALONG WITH SATELLITE IMAGERY ARE NOW HELPING TO MAP HOW TOP-SECRET PROGRAMS AT AREA 51 HAVE CHANGED THE BASE... A PLACE WE NOW KNOW CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVES IN LINE WITH NATIONAL PRIORITIES AND WITH EACH PROGRAM THAT COMES ALONG. PETER MERLIN: IF YOU LOOKED AT THE AERIAL AND SATELLITE PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN OVER THE YEARS YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES. NEW RUNWAYS NEW HANGERS MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S CONSTANTLY GROWING AND CHANGING AND BUILDING. THIS IS NOT A STATIC FACILITY... IT'S EXTREMELY DYNAMIC. NARRATOR: AS AREA 51 HAS CHANGED SO TOO HAS IT'S ROLE. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: AREA 51 IS NOT REALLY IN THE COMMON SENSE AN AIRBASE. AREA 51 IS THE PROVING GROUND THAT'S WHERE WE CAN SAY IT WORKS OR IT DOESN'T WORK. YOU KNOW A LOT OF THE MISSIONS WILL NOT TOUCH DOWN THERE. THEY WILL JUST FLY OVER OVER THE BASE AND WE CAN EVALUATE WHAT THEY HAVE COME UP WITH. IT'S A PROOF OF CONCEPT FACILITY IT'S WHERE WE PROVE THIS WILL WORK OR THIS WILL NOT WORK. NARRATOR: CREATED IN THE 50'S TO TEST THE U-2... THE CIA'S SECRET BASE HAS GIVEN THE U.S. THE EDGE OVER ITS ENEMIES FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY. PETER MERLIN:AREA 51 IS THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE DEVELOPED ALL OF OUR STEALTH TECHNOLOGIES. FROM THE EARLY ADVANCES OF THE A-12 TO THE MODERN ERA. EVERY U.S. STEALTH AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN TESTED AT AREA 51 IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. NARRATOR: THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE B-2 ADVANCED CRUISE MISSILE SYSTEMS THE AIR FORCE'S LATEST OPERATIONAL STRIKE AIRCRAFT THE RAPTOR AND DRONES NOW COMMON-PLACE IN COMBAT ZONES ACROSS THE WORLD. THE RAPTOR... UNLIKE THE F-117 IS STILL AN OPERATIONAL AIRCRAFT. BUT IT LIKE ALL OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE STEALTH PROGRAMS CARRIED OUT AT GROOM LAKE IN THE 1980'S AND 1990'S REMAINS HIGHLY CLASSIFIED. PETER MERLIN: TODAY WE KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS LIKE THE U-2 "OXCART" THE STEALTH FIGHTER AND OTHER DEMONSTRATORS HAVE COME SINCE THEN "TACIT BLUE"... "THE BIRD OF PREY"... BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PROJECTS BOTH MANNED AND UNMANNED THAT WE MAY NOT HEAR ABOUT FOR DECADES. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: AREA 51 IS LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF... THERE'S NO ONE EVEN COMING CLOSE TO THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE DEVELOPED OUT THERE. AND IT WILL CONTINUE BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN REMAIN FREE SAFE AND AND BE SUPERIOR IS AREA 51. NARRATOR: IT'S CLEAR THAT THE CIA STORY OF AREA 51 HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN KEEPING AMERICA SAFE FROM ITS ENEMIES. BEGINNING WITH THE U-2 AND A-12 PROJECTS AMERICA'S SECRET BASE SAVED LIVES IN VIETNAM. THORNTON "TD" BARNES: THE "HAVE DOUGHNUT" PROGRAM COMPLETELY TURNED AROUND THE KILL RATIO IN VIETNAM FROM 9 TO 1 AGAINST US. WE'D LOST OVER 8000 HELICOPTERS ALONE KNOCKED DOWN BY THE MiGS AND WE COMPLETELY TURNED THAT AROUND TO THE POINT TODAY WE HADN'T LOST A PLANE TO AIR TO AIR COMBAT IN SEVERAL WARS NOT YEARS BUT WARS. NARRATOR: AND IT'S A TREND THAT CONTINUES WITH THE F-117 AN AIRCRAFT THAT FOUGHT SUCCESSFULLY IN NOT ONE BUT TWO WARS IN IRAQ... WITH NO LOSSES. PETER LAW: YOU KNOW WHEN YOU START OFF WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM YOU HAVE TO CROSS YOUR FINGERS THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THAT IT'S GONNA WORK OUT RIGHT AND OF COURSE WE WERE AMAZED THAT IT COULD DO SO WELL IN A WITH BULLETS FLYING THROUGH THE AIR AND MISSILES AND EVERYTHING COMING UP WE WERE ALL WONDERING... OH MY GOD HOW CAN ANYTHING SURVIVE ALL THAT STUFF IN THE AIR? NARRATOR: NOW NEARLY 60 YEARS AFTER ITS CREATION... AREA 51 IS STILL AT THE FOREFRONT OF MILITARY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT. WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT PROJECTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED THERE BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN ITS STORY... THE NEED FOR THESE SECRET PROJECTS IS STILL AS GREAT AS EVER. PETER LAW: I'M SURE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON OUT THERE AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING IT AND I DON'T HAVE A NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT BUT I'M GLAD SOMEBODY'S GOING TO THE NEXT STEP WE DID OUR BEST... NOW SOMEBODY ELSE HAS THE PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE DOING SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE AND I'M GLAD THIS COUNTRY IS DOING THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT... JUST LIKE WE WERE DOING THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.

Info

Channel: National Geographic

Views: 2,855,322

Rating: undefined out of 5

Keywords: national geographic, nat geo, natgeo, animals, wildlife, science, explore, discover, survival, nature, culture, documentary, perpetual planet nat geo, photography, Area 51, The CIA's Secret, The CIA's Secret Full Episode, area 51 The CIA's Secret Full Episode, CIA's Secret, CIA’s Secret approaches, expert interviews, expert interview, full episode, national geographic full episodes, Experts Reveal, Experts Reveal Area 51, Area 51 secret, area 51 secrets

Id: kVpJ6BwG8zg

Channel Id: undefined

Length: 44min 24sec (2664 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 23 2024