Hangar No.0/8 in Russia and Ohio, USA.

"5 1 Zone" is a highly confidential American military test and R&D base. Now it is the third task force of the US Air Force Flight Test Center, headquartered in Edwards Air Force Base, California. "5 1 zone is 5 1 zone"-this name originated in the early 1950s. The map at that time marked the desolate area around groome Lake as "5 1 area, that is, 5 1 area". From the 1960s to the 1980s, officials used this name all the time. Later, the base was managed by the Central Intelligence Agency and changed to the Air Force. The official name is groome Lake Base. But "5 1 area" is still the common name of the base. In addition, it has other names: dream, water town, big farm, fairy valley and so on.

1954, "5 1 area" was established with the approval of U.S. president Truman as the base for Lockheed Aircraft Company to develop reconnaissance planes and test other new military aircraft for the CIA. The following year, Lockheed carried out the research and development of u-2 high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft here. During this period, it is said that some government agencies, including the National Defense Intelligence Agency and the Ministry of Energy, participated in the development work here. In 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission conducted a nuclear bomb test in "5 1 Zone", where the Air Force conducted SR-7 1 Blackbird high-altitude strategic reconnaissance plane, F- 1 17 Nighthawk stealth fighter and evaluated and tested Soviet fighter planes. There are rumors that the base has been closed and related work has been transferred to other areas. But the fact is that "5 1 area" is still carrying out many highly confidential plans, but it has become more secretive. At present, the secret plans under way at the base include stealth technology research, various unmanned reconnaissance planes and combat aircraft, and the Leona supersonic reconnaissance plane. These plans may not be decrypted for years to come.

Basic position

"5 1 Zone" is located at the Nevada Experimental Training Range in the south of Nevada, 37 kilometers northwest of Las Vegas/KLOC-0. It is hidden in the mountains around Lake groome, near Highway 375 and the dry riverbed of Rachel Town. The sky above the base is controlled and no planes are allowed to fly over it. The no-fly zone is a rectangle of 37km× 40km with Lake groome as the center. However, as part of arms control verification, satellites are allowed to fly over the base.

It is only 2 17 kilometers from Las Vegas to the top secret "5 1 zone", but it takes two hours by car. In front of the training base is Hu Road. Groome Lake Road is a gravel road, but it is well maintained and there is no problem in driving. However, parking is not allowed on both sides of the road, and guards can find any people and vehicles near "5 1 area" early through various detection systems. At the entrance of "5 1 area, that is, 5 1 area", a white warning sign was erected on the left side of the road to warn tourists not to cross the border to take pictures.

For whatever reason, if you cross the boundary of "area 5 1", then EG &；; The armed guards of the technical service department will detain you soon. You will be fined between $650 and $5,000, and in severe cases you will be imprisoned for six months. In addition to monitoring traffic and pedestrians, eg&; Company G is also responsible for operating the air route between "5 1 Zone" and McCarthy International Airport in Las Vegas, which is used to transport the base staff every day. Because the flight call signal is "Janet", people call the flight between the two places "Janet" flight.

Inside the base

In the early 1980s, observers could drive directly to the northern end of groome Lake and see the base through the dry lake bed, with a sight distance of less than 8km. 1984, the air force purchased about 360 square kilometers of land near the base and set it as a military restricted area. Observers can only climb the mountain 19 kilometers away to see this base surrounded by mountains and hidden in thousands of valleys. 1995, the government purchased land again. After that, Tikabo Peak, 42 kilometers away, became the nearest place to watch "5 1 area, that is, 5 1 area". If you want to go, you need not only a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle, three hours of mountain climbing, but also first-class optical equipment to see the situation of some bases a little bit!

Below, I will take you to visit the secret base that does not exist on the official map in detail! With the help of satellite photos, this trip will definitely make you immersive.

Looking at the satellite map carefully from left to right, there are several facilities far from the southern end of the base.

Engine laboratory

The two light-colored buildings on the left are engine test rooms. This is the place to test the engine of the new plane. Due to the noise and the possibility of explosion during the engine test, the test room is arranged as far away from other facilities in the base as possible. Behind the test room on the left is a landfill. Nothing has changed there since 1995. It is not clear whether it is still in use.

Explosive warehouse

Go further to the stone and come to a place surrounded by earth walls-explosive warehouse area. Surround with earth walls to prevent accidents in the warehouse from spreading to other facilities in the base.

airstrip

There are two runways (old runway 14R/32L and new runway 14L/32R) in front of the explosive magazine, the south taxiway and the apron south terminal. There are two interceptors at the southern end of the new runway (14L/32R) to prevent the plane from rushing off the runway.

Shashikeng

There is a large quarry at the foot of Pappus Mountain. There is a large gravel pit and a cement workshop, which mainly provide building materials for the extension of the runway and other bases.

Nanpo area

Look right and arrive at the south area of the base, where there is a south slope and a hangar.

The south slope was resurfaced in the summer of 2003, and several buildings were added. You can also see some building equipment in the picture. Obviously, this is for a big new project. This project may be related to the development and testing of drones or unmanned combat aircraft.

The building near the northern section of the south taxiway is a weapon assembly and storage workshop, surrounded by earth walls. Just like the explosive storage area we mentioned earlier, the surrounding earth walls are mainly used to reduce the explosion risk in the event of an accident.

Behind it and in front of hangar 9 ~ 16, there is a large hangar newly built in the spring of 2005. It is higher than other hangars, which may mean that it will be used to park the test aircraft carried by the mother aircraft. We should know that many high-speed aircraft under test are brought to the flying height by carrier-based aircraft or mother aircraft.

Hangar 9 ~ 16 was originally A- 12 and its successor Sr, and was prepared by 7 1 aircraft. These buildings have been repaired recently. They may also be preparing for the new project we mentioned before. There are two color hangars 17 on the right. Not far from the right front of hangar 17 are hangars 20 ~ 23. The low-rise building at the left end of these hangars is a special warehouse for hangars 20 ~ 23. Hidden behind hangar 22 is another new building built in 2003. The area is not large, and it is connected with the surrounding hangar through underground pipelines, which may be a fuel warehouse or a heating plant.

In front of these hangars, near the above-mentioned weapons warehouse is the 19 hangar. It is used to load and unload weapons for airplanes. In the spring of 2005, the expansion was carried out in both north and south directions, and the area was tripled. The reason for its expansion is not clear at present, but it is interesting that the part that expands northward is open. This means that good ventilation is needed here, which may be related to engine operation. These expansions seem to be

For the sake of confidentiality. Because at the opening of the south expansion part, a shield is added, facing the peak direction of Tika. Obviously, this is a top secret project.

In the spring of 2003, a new concrete ramp connected these hangars with the new central slide. This also connects the south slope with the new runway 14L/32R.

Further to the right is hangar 8. It is said that this is the hangar used by Northrop Grumman. On its right is Fire Station 2 (1 Fire Station is near four hangars in the north). Sometimes the door will open. We have seen the lights on at night and the fire truck parked inside. The next building near the fire station is the planning and engineering office. There is a technical office here. It is conceivable that many projects in the past, present and future are planned here. To its east, there is a parking lot and the only visible trees in the "5 1 area".

On the satellite photos, we can also see some other facilities in the south area of the base. On the right side of the gravel pit mentioned above is the main fuel storage area. There used to be eight major oil Ie, which were developed in the 1960s. 12 spy plane. 200 1 most of the oil tanks were robbed by rice, leaving only two in the south. In 2003, two new large oil tanks were built to replace the old ones. The brown building near the oil tank parking lot may be a fire station or a maintenance station. There are aircraft communication and navigation facilities in the front and right areas of the fuel storage area.

This area is followed by the "cardinal number" of "area 5 1, that is, area 5 1". The experimental prototypes and prototypes of those abandoned projects ended their lives here. Some experimental prototypes have been displayed in the hangar here for many years before they are finally decrypted and displayed, such as Boeing's Predator and Northrop's Merlin. Everything else has been torn down and broken down, and the world will never know.

Hangar 18

18 hangar is about 8 stories high, which can park the largest aircraft. Both ends of the hangar are open, which makes it easy for large aircraft like Boeing 747 to get in and out. At present, the purpose of this hangar is not clear, but it is inferred that it is for the development of new projects. We also found that the Boeing 737 on the "Janet" flight stopped in front of the 18 hangar. So this hangar may also be used to provide maintenance for the flight of Janet. Behind the hangar 18, you can see the right half of a building, which is connected with the hangar and may be the place for staff to work and provide service.

Go right on the satellite map, there is a brown building, which is a safety building-eg&; G company is headquartered in "5 1 zone, that is, 5 1 zone". EG & ampg security personnel are mainly responsible for the external security of "Zone 5 1", while the internal security of the base may be undertaken by the US Air Force Gendarmerie.

Behind these two buildings, there is an old toxic waste incineration pit. Before 1990s, toxic waste was burned in the open ditch here. Later, the base stopped burning toxic waste in the open air because some workers got sick or even died because of inhaling toxic gas emitted when burning poison. This area has also been dug and buried.

"Janet" flight terminal, command building and dormitory

On the satellite map, continue to the right. Next to the security building and the laboratory is the terminal building of the "Janet" flight, where the staff arrived from Las Vegas by Boeing 737 and got off the plane. In the morning and evening, yellow floodlights will be turned on for lighting at the dock and apron. In front of the terminal building is the control tower of "Zone 5 1, that is, Zone 5 1".

Behind the terminal are three high-rise residential buildings. There are 33 residential buildings here, which can accommodate 1000 employees. Workers don't have to fly back to Las Vegas every night. They can choose whether to stay at the base. Moreover, the accommodation base will be subsidized, and many staff members are willing to do so. The residential building in the middle of the base is still under construction, and it can hardly be seen on Tikabo Peak. There are also baseball fields, tennis courts, gyms, swimming pools and a popular bar called "Sam House".

Base north zone

The center and northern area of the base include some of the oldest buildings in the groome Lake base. Among these old buildings, the first thing to say is the hangar built in the 1950s. They were used in the development and testing of Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. "5 1 area" is built in this remote place, which is the need of this planning and its secrecy.

Further to the right are hangars 4 ~ 7 and the north slope area. These hangars were first used in the A- 12 reconnaissance plane plan, and then used to store Soviet aircraft obtained by the US government through various channels. After acquiring a large number of Soviet-made aircraft, the US Air Force set up the 4477th "Red Hat" test and evaluation squadron to actually feel the performance and weakness of Soviet aircraft design. This information undoubtedly gives American pilots a great advantage in air combat. Now these hangars are still talked about in the name of "Red Hat Hangar". It is not clear whether these hangars are still in use, but we have seen the lights flashing in some of them many times, and once we observed an airplane sliding into the hangar.

About other buildings in this area. The first building on the left that is almost completely blocked by hills is the test technical support center. It is the central information base of the base, and many underground buildings here store data of several research projects. Next to the test technical support center, the building partially covered by hills is a reinforced service facility, which mainly provides communication and power guarantee.

The lower basic service and management buildings are located in the more right position. In a small building behind it, the canteen and the main control building (which controls all activities of "5 1 area") and the 1 fire station are looming.

Behind these buildings, all kinds of studios and laboratories and corresponding service guarantee units are protected by a fence, and we can't get their detailed information. In the photo, we can easily find two huge hangars, which were built at the end of 2002. Interestingly, although they are placed side by side, one is inside the fence and the other is outside the fence.

The building on the right of this area is the traffic building. Huan saw the weather monitoring device on the roof and many trucks parked around the building. On the other side of the road, opposite the traffic building is a large parking lot. After the staff parked their vehicles here, they went to work in the main engine garage mentioned above.

north-north

The slope area to the north of the "Red Hat Hangar" is used for the research of secret helicopters. We often see three HH-60G Paving Eagle helicopters patrolling the restricted area.

In this area, the radar cross-section measurement system and "quick kill" radar system developed for developing stealth nose technology and corresponding supporting facilities will be built. As can be seen in the photo, the "quick kill" radar system has two independent antennas, which are located at the southern end of the dry lake bed. Two other similar base stations are connected to the radar system in the photo through underground lines, but they are not visible in the photo. They are on the east side of the airstrip. When there is no test task, these basin antennas are a gesture of aperture to the sky.

There are many small facilities scattered in the "Immigrant Valley" in the northwest of Lake groome. Most of them are various radar systems, which are used to test new stealth technologies.

There are also buildings near Lake Slater on the far right. Slater Lake is an artificial lake surrounded by green trees, which was built in 1960s and is a place for staff to play. But now there are rumors that many secret facilities have been added around this area, and people's access to this area has been restricted, including most of the staff in "5 1 area".