{"id":62255,"date":"2025-12-05T23:39:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T22:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=62255"},"modified":"2026-01-15T22:47:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T21:47:33","slug":"snooping-around-the-tonopah-test-range-one-of-the-most-secretive-sites-in-the-united-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/12\/05\/snooping-around-the-tonopah-test-range-one-of-the-most-secretive-sites-in-the-united-states\/","title":{"rendered":"Snooping around the Tonopah Test Range, one of the most secretive sites in the United States"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are places where an explorer can get into trouble without even entering them. Simply staying at a distance is enough.<\/p>\n

Janet: an airline with which you will never fly to a place that they claimed did not exist<\/a><\/rel>
\nNRQZ, the United States Quiet Zone where mobile phones and microwaves are illegal<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

The Tonopah Test Range (TTR) in Nevada is one such place.<\/strong> For those unfamiliar with military topics, this site will likely be largely unknown, at least under that name. However, if we refer to it as Area 52, its nickname, it will surely be more familiar.<\/strong> For decades, this location has been a constant source of conspiracy theories because it is one of the most secretive sites in the United States.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
A satellite photo of the Tonopah Test Range (Photo: NASA Landsat<\/a>).<\/div>\n

The TTR was built in 1952 and is a highly classified site where secret aircraft have been tested for years.<\/strong> One of its most famous inhabitants is the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter<\/a>, which operated from this base between 1982 and 1989. Once retired from service, most of the fleet of these aircraft was stored at the TTR, as some of their characteristics remain classified.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
F-117 stealth fighter jets at the Tonopah Proving Ground in a photo taken on April 1, 1992 (Photo: U.S. National Archives<\/a>).<\/div>\n

Workers at this base usually travel there by plane. An airline without livery, popularly known as Janet<\/a>, flies employees from Las Vegas Airport to the TTR.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
One of the entrances to the Tonopah Test Range. The sign indicates that it is a U.S. Department of Energy facility, operated by Sandia National Laboratories (Photo: Famartin<\/a>).<\/div>\n

A few days ago, the YouTube channel n01_b4_flash<\/a> posted a video peeking from afar at that secret base<\/strong>. In the video, we can see several of the Boeing 737 passenger planes used by Janet to transport employees to the TTR:<\/p>\n