TinWiki: Area 52

Area 52 is better known as the Tonopah Test Range. It is a 625 square mile facility managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation, a subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. The facility is heavily instrumented with camera and radar tracking devices that record data from artillery shell testing, bomb drops, cruise missiles and rocket tests. Another facility located in TTR is the Tolicha Peak Electronic Combat Range. Tonopah Test Range also contains the somewhat mysterious Site Four, located near its eastern boundary. Travelling to and from Tonopah is provided by the Cheshire Airstrip.

Location

The Tonopah Test Range (TTR) is a 625 square mile area located at the very north end of the Nellis Complex, about 32 miles southeast of Tonopah, and roughly 70 miles northwest of Area 51 in Nevada. The primary entrance is off of Highway 6 at the north end of the facility. Dirt road access points also exist on the south and east sides of the range.

History

Opened in 1957 as a test range for Department of Energy weapons programs, it is now also used by Department of Defense as well as private defense contractors.

Testing and Projects

The Facility was originally used for ballistic missile testing, this has expanded in current times to include UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) weaponization, fusion reactor development and testing, parachute deployment testing of nuclear bombs, and more.

Stealth

The F-117 Nighthawk operated from Tonopah Test Range during their top-secret tactical evaluation from 1982 until they were moved to Holloman AFB, NM in 1992, and were eventually unveiled to the public. After more than 20 years of service the F-117's were decommissioned and returned to the Tonopah Test Range for storage.

Constant Peg

Between 1978 and 1988 Col. Gail Peck headed a classified program code named Constant Peg, in which 15,000 sorties were flown involving Soviet-designed MiG fighters. The 4477th Test & Evaluation Squadron, also known as the Red Eagles, were responsible for the MiGs which included MiG-21 Fishbeds, MiG-23 Floggers, and the MiG-17 Fresco.








External Links

Tonopah Test Range (TTR)
Tonopah Test Range
Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 426
I-Team: Area 52, The Secret Sister
I-Team Area 52, The Secret Sister - Part 2
Tonopah Test Range Airfield

Relevant discussion threads on AboveTopSecret.com

Area52
Area 52, the secret sister of Area 51 - K-LAS TV Special Report - Nov. 9, 2007
THE TONOPAH TEST RANGE

Amazing stuff.

I have a co-worker and friends father who worked at area 52 as a computer programmer and technician. He's got a few stories. Just thought I'd mention that since I personally know this guy.

Thanks for the info.