CIA finally confirmed

The CIA has revealed that Area 51, the heavily guarded site in Nevada long associated with UFO and alien conspiracies, is actually a US Air Force test facility. Acquired in the 1950s, it was used primarily for testing high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft like the U-2 spy plane, which operated at over 70,000 feet. Its secretive nature fueled public speculation, especially as the testing of planes like the U-2 and Oxcart led to a surge in UFO reports throughout the 1950s and 60s, according to declassified documents.

During the Cold War, the U-2 was vital for intelligence gathering on countries like the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba, playing a significant role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The extreme altitudes required pilots to wear spacesuit-like gear, which added to the alien mystique surrounding Area 51. Despite the boring truth that the base was for testing aircraft, the allure of extraterrestrial involvement remains alive in public imagination.