Area 51 is a popular name for the secret military base Located in southern Nevada at 37°14′06″N, 115°48′40″W. It is owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force. Its existence was for a long time denied by the US government until the 2013 disclosure of documents relating to it under the Freedom of Information Act. The base is also referred to under different names, such as Groom Lake (the dry Groom Lake is northeast of the site), Homey Airport, Dreamland, Paradise Ranch, Watertown and Home Base. For most pilots familiar with the area, it is known as Restricted Area 4808 North (R-4808N), because the airspace above the base is off limits for any airplane without clearance.   Location Situated in Lincoln County in the state of Nevada, 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas, Area 51 is officially a detachment of Edwards Air Force Base located in California in the Antelope Valley, perched at the elevation of 4,462 feet. The integral and perhaps most important part of Area 51 is a large airfield and the alleged purpose for the base is to test and develop experimental weapons and aircraft for use by the United States […]