"Rumor has it some of these systems involve force-field technology, gravity-driven systems, and 'flying saucer' designs. Rumor further has it that these designs are not necessarily of Earth human origin — but of who might have designed them or helped us to do it, there is less talk." The author used the name Al Frickey; he has subsequently been identified by several sources as the author of books on stealth and Black airplanes. At the end of the article, the editor added: "The Air Force has had a unit at Nellis for several years; its name: The Alien Technology Center. The first question is, do you think they are studying Mexicans? The center is rumored to have obtained alien (not Earth) equipment and, at times, personnel to help develop our new aircraft star wars weaponry."[812]
An article on the "skyquakes" observed that earthquakes, meteors, or aircraft had all been eliminated as the source. It ended on a tongue-in-cheek note: "That leaves us with only one explanation to describe the particulars of this case — the shaking was caused by aliens, with a thing for Thursdays, whose spaceship is buzzing southern California."[813]
An October 1992 issue of Aviation News noted in an article on Aurora,
"Indeed, within the last year, established figures of U.S. government agencies have indicated that captured UFOs are also here [Groom Lake], but that is another story!"[814]
Television programs on Aurora also showed UFO influences — as already noted, the NBC film of a light in the night sky above Groom Lake was described as maneuvering "like a flying saucer." A Fox network special titled Sightings: UFO Report showed a segment on Groom Lake. (An "unidentified" object was probably a car headlight on the Groom Lake Road.) On October 16, 1992, the Fox program Sightings had a segment on Aurora — it had been preceded by a "report" on UFO abductions (in which persons claim they were taken aboard a UFO and their sperm or ova removed).
Local television programs have also stressed the Aurora-UFO link. The three Las Vegas stations, Channels 3, 8, and 13, have all done a number of stories on Area 51, Aurora, and UFO claims. It was Channel 8 that first interviewed Lazar in November 1989. WFAA-TV of Dallas, Texas, carried a two-part program titled, The Aurora Project. The first part was on Aurora and Groom Lake, while part two was on the UFO subculture in the area.
This is typical of how television programs deal with the story.[815]
The Tester Corporation, which released models of the SR-75 and XR-7, followed up with another kit in the late summer of 1994. It was a model of a UFO, as described by Robert Lazar. The order form reads: "This particular disc, nicknamed the 'Sports Model' was one of nine different discs being 'back engineered' at a secret U.S. Installation known as 'S4' on the Nellis Air Force range in the Groom Lake area of Nevada."[816]
The most obvious example of the link between Aurora and the UFO subculture is computer bulletin boards (BBS). The America Online BBS has two sections (called "folders") titled "Area 51" dealing with Black airplanes and "Above Top Secret" on UFOs. Using screen names such as "FR8-Driver," "Steve 1957," "BlackSky," "GrahamP," "Stealth C," and "Velvt-Elvis," individuals can post messages and exchange information. These messages can be read by anyone with a personal computer and a phone modem.
The author has a seventeen-foot printout of the messages from June 26 to October 15, 1993.[817] There are numerous references to UFOs. One message reads: "The crafts seen could be man made craft that might utilize an anti-matter/anti-gravity propulsion system designed around flying saucer shapes.
As I look at all the information I have, I feel that there are some vehicles of extraterrestrial origin being seen flying above and around Area 51."[818]
It reached the point that one person observed, "The Area 51 folder seems to have degenerated into a discussion of UFO's."[819]
THE AURORA MYTH
The myth of Aurora can serve as an example of how a belief system can develop and spread. It began with vague stories in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They did not take solid form until the name Aurora was publicized in 1985. Soon, the name was attached to the rumors of a superfast airplane.
By the late 1980s, the first sightings were being made and Aurora had become part of the UFO subculture. Media access, on the part of the UFO believers, brought the story to national attention, which created more reports and more sightings. Each time the story was repeated, it grew and was embellished. Rumor became fact and then proof. Yet few of the people reading the stories or watching the television reports knew they were based on fringe UFO stories.
A close examination shows the difference between the Aurora myth and research into stories of real Black airplanes. In historical research, the separate bits of information are assembled into a complete picture. It is much like the pieces of a puzzle; individually they may seem meaningless, but together the pattern becomes clear.
With the Aurora myth, it is different. These tales of darkness and shadows are without substance or coherence. Each sighting exists separately, without connection to a whole. Each new tale replaces the ones that came before. For example, the "flattened diamond" stories, which ushered in the first series of reports, are now passed off by believers. The intercepted radio messages between Gaspipe and Edwards Air Force Base are now thought to be from security guards playing with their radios.[820]
The ebb and flow of the Aurora myth also followed the earlier pattern of the flying saucer myth. As with Aurora, the flying saucer myth had been developing for several years before the first widely publicized sightings in June and July 1947. In the years to follow, the number of UFO sightings went up sharply during times of public unease. These included presidential election years, the launch of Sputnik 1, and the 1960s.[821] The Aurora articles followed a similar development — the first major articles were published in late 1990, as the United States prepared for war with Iraq. The number of reports then dropped off following the victory. This was followed by a major upturn in 1992, which was an election year and a period of economic uncertainty.
In 1954, the noted psychologist Carl Jung gave an interview in which he expressed a degree of skepticism about UFOs. In 1958 the interview was republished, but in a distorted form which made Jung appear to be a UFO believer. He issued a statement giving a true version of his beliefs, "but," as he said later, "nobody, so far as I know took any notice of it." Jung concluded:
The moral of this story is rather interesting. As the behavior of the press is a sort of Gallup test with reference to world opinion, one must draw the conclusion that news affirming the existence of UFOs is welcome, but that skepticism seems to be undesirable. To believe that UFOs are real suits the general opinion, whereas disbelief is to be discouraged. This creates the impression that there is a tendency all over the world to believe in saucers and to want them to be real, unconsciously helped along by a press that otherwise has no sympathy with the phenomenon.
This remarkable fact in itself surely merits the psychologist's interest. Why should it be more desirable for saucers to exist than not?[822]
This was written thirty years before the Aurora stories were published; yet one need only substitute "Aurora" for "UFOs" and "saucers," and the statement still stands.
REVISIONIST AURORA
On July 1, 1994, believers in Aurora suffered a stunning blow. On that date the Senate Appropriations Committee added $100 million in funding to bring three SR-71s back into operation.[823] This was an outgrowth of the problems in reconnaissance revealed by the Gulf War. If Aurora did exist, why would the SR-71s be taken out of storage?
While the believers debated this question, a second blow came at the end of the year, with publication of Ben Rich's book Skunk Works. He identified the Aurora funding item as being for the competition between Lockheed and Northrop for the B-2 contract. Both companies came up with flying-wing designs and built one-quarter scale models for ground testing on a radar range. The Lockheed design was smaller and had a fin. Northrop's design was larger and had a heavier payload and a longer range. Rich wrote that
"the rumor surfaced that it was a top secret project assi
gned to the Skunk Works — to build America's first hypersonic plane… there is no code name for the hypersonic plane, because it simply does not exist."[824]
Although some believers whispered about secret crashes and technical problems or cast doubts on Rich's word, it was becoming clear a hypersonic Aurora was becoming untenable. The Aurora story began to undergo a shift.
The first example of this "revisionist Aurora" was an article in the January 1995 Popular Science on the A-17—a Northrop stealth attack aircraft.
It was described as a cross between the F-lll and the YF-23 prototype. The article alleged the aircraft had a two-man crew, swing wings, and the ability to reach supersonic speeds without an afterburner. The A-12's future home base was to be Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. An A-17 sighting was made in September 1994, above Amarillo, Texas. The article concluded by saying, "Here's a legend-shattering notion: Was the triangular craft seen refueling over Britain's North Sea actually an A-17—and not the rumored Aurora hypersonic spyplane?"[825]
The Black airplane community greeted the A-17 with less than enthusiasm. One suspects this was due to the challenge it posed to the "orthodox" Aurora. A more significant problem was that it was inconsistent with the policy governing post-F-117A stealth aircraft. Although the F-117A remained secret, the existence of the B-2, YF-22, and YF-23 programs were public knowledge. Shortly before the aircraft were rolled out, artists conceptions were released.
Another negative factor is the sheer number of supposedly still secret Black aircraft. From the published accounts, there are at least eleven such planes — two Shamus (the B-2 prototype and the "funny-looking" one), at least three differing Auroras (the diamond, North Sea, and XB-70), the TR-3, the large delta wings, the very large deltas, the F-121, the Artichoke, and, finally, the A-17. How many Black airplanes are there? At best, the only one with any credibility is the "funny-looking" Shamu.
The situation is similar to the early 1950s, when numerous reports and blurry photos were published of "new" Soviet aircraft. In this case too, they later proved to be false.
LOST IN DREAMLAND
The tales of Aurora and captured flying saucers brought a degree of attention to Groom Lake that no real Black airplane ever had. Soon, people were going to sites near the restricted area to watch the UFOs. One popular site was "The Black Mailbox," a rancher's mailbox that stands by the side of a highway. The site allows a view of the airspace above Groom Lake. Wednesdays are said to be the best night for seeing the saucers.
For the would-be saucer watcher, the skies above Groom Lake offer many sources of UFO reports. These include parachute flares, infrared decoy flares, aircraft lights and afterburners, planets, satellites, meteors (a brief film of Aurora was actually a bright meteor), and the Old Faithful airliner used to fly workers to Groom Lake.
Two hills, dubbed White Sides Mountain and Freedom Ridge, actually overlook Groom Lake. These were the only sites from which a person could have a close look at the facility itself from public land. They soon became a mecca for Black airplane buffs, UFO believers, radio intercept hobbyists, television reporters, and pilgrims.
The visitors caused problems with Groom Lake operations. Whenever someone was on White Sides or Freedom Ridge, altitude and route changes had to be made to avoid their seeing the aircraft (i.e., the MiGs). In some cases, operations had to be delayed or canceled.[826]
Signs were posted announcing, "Warning, There Is a Restricted Military Installation to the West." At the Groom Lake border, signs read, "Restricted Area, No Trespassing Beyond This Point, Photography Is Prohibited." The small print on yet another sign read, "Use of Deadly Force Authorized."
Security guards, (originally in tan Broncos or Blazers, then later in white Cherokees and HUMVEES) watched the visitors. When they observed a group climbing White Sides, the local sheriff was called. The group was called down off the mountain, IDs were checked, warnings were issued about entering the restricted area or taking pictures, then the visitors were sent on their way. Video cameras also were installed to watch visitors on White Sides Mountain. The few foolish enough to enter the restricted area were arrested on the spot. They were required to sign a notice that they were being removed for trespassing on a military reservation, a form listing home address, social security number, and so on and a secrecy agreement related to "intentional or accidental exposure to classified information." The fine was typically $600, but could run as high as $5,000 or a year in jail. It was also illegal "to make any photograph, film, map, sketch, picture, drawing, graphic representation of this area or equipment at or flying over this installation." It was also illegal to sell, publish, or give away any of the above. In either case, the fine was $1,000 and/or a year in jail.
Throughout 1993, there was a standoff, which grew increasingly tense, between the viewers and the security guards. Film was confiscated, and hikers were often buzzed by low-flying helicopters. In other cases, the visitors were followed by guards. Rumors of a land grab by the air force of White Sides Mountain and Freedom Ridge began circulating in the spring of 1993. As support for this, when Freedom Ridge was discovered, there were already survey stakes in the ground. It was claimed that congressional personnel had already been warned that the seizure would be made in several months. Three congressional groups were (reportedly) shown Groom Lake and came away "dazzled" by what they had seen.[827]
The White Sides Defense Committee was organized to bring political pressure in the event of a land seizure. In their handouts, they have depicted as absurd the idea of a secret base that anyone can see. They have castigated Groom Lake as a Cold War relic and demanded that the land seized in 1984 be returned to public access.[828] On October 16–17, 1993, the committee organized a camp out at White Sides. About thirty people showed up and had "a grand old time."[829]
The following day, the Federal Register carried a notice of the withdrawal of 3,972 acres of public land in Lincoln County, Nevada. Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnell said the land was "necessary to the safe and secure operation of the activities on the Nellis Range." The withdrawal would be until the year 2001, and the land would be closed to public access, mining, or any other government agency. The land was, of course, White Sides Mountain and Freedom Ridge.[830]
THE GROOM LAKE LAND SEIZURE
The land seizure attracted both protests and media attention. The White Sides Defense Committee asked, "Is the military realistically trying to hide critical national secrets from foreign enemies, or is it trying to inhibit watchdog groups, interested taxpayers, and other domestic critics who could challenge the wisdom of continued billion dollar projects?" The Federation of American Scientists called the action "profoundly offensive… this move should be put on hold."[831] A Black airplane buff-UFO believer said, "What the hell is going on at Groom Lake? Why all this extreme secrecy after the Cold War is over? We think someone should shine a bright light on this place."[832]
Newsweek carried a brief story that artfully evaded the UFO aspects. It talked about "reporters and aviation buffs" climbing the two hills, and "a craft that, judging from its lights, has extraordinary maneuverability." This article ignored the fact that the main group was UFO believers, while the "craft" was actually Old Faithful, the 737 airliner UFO believers believed was a human-flown UFO.[833]
The controversy also drew the attention of the counterculture. During early 1994, magazines such as Wired, Spin, and Nose carried articles on Groom Lake. They featured a trendy nihilism as well as extravagant rheto-ric and accusations, (e.g., "militarists who view [Nevada] as nothing more than featureless sandbox to bomb," "horribly irradiated," "a gung-ho think tank," "elite Air Force colonels," and "they move in like the Mafia)."[834] A list of projects at Groom Lake was called "Satan's Shopping List." This included not only Aurora, the "flattened diamond," the XB-70, the TR-3A, and UAVs, but also weapons with "microwave, electromagnetic pulse and psychtronic (mind-control) payloads." Groom Lake was described as equipped with defensive systems to protect against air and missile
attack, including antiballistic missile launchers. The floor of the large hangar was described as descending "22 stories to a cavernous facility below" (an apparent reference to the tales of "secret alien underground bases" at Groom Lake). The budget for Groom Lake projects was claimed to be in the "tens of billions per year."
It was also suggested that any visitors make sure they have no "wants and warrants," as "your name is entered into a national crime and counter-intelligence data base, your life, friends and family researched, your phone tapped, your mail monitored, and the movies you rent screened."[835]
Throughout the end of 1993, the controversy over the Groom Lake land seizure built, with accusations that the air force's request was too vague, that illegal chemical waste burning had taken place at the site, and that civilian contractors had cheated on their property taxes for their facilities at the site. The goal was to focus attention on Groom Lake, to make the land seizure more difficult, and to force the Bureau of Land Management to hold public hearings. In this effort, they were successful.
The final public hearing was held on March 2, 1994, at Las Vegas. One person there commented that "entertainment like this can't be bought."[836]
Only about one-third of the speakers actually talked about the land seizure.
The remainder were UFO believers, conspiracy buffs, paranoids, and other "colorful characters." A radio talk show host from Alaska said,
God knows what they're testing out there. Do they have genetic engineering programs? Do they have bacteriological warfare programs? Did they not, in fact, create a thing called AIDS? Do they want to reduce the population of the planet by 25 % by the year 2000? You cannot allow them to take your property. This is YOUR land. It is not their spread.
Adolf Hitler wrote the book, The New World Order, and he used the Big Lie. He could not allow the people to go in and take a look at the camps at Nordhaus, Auschwitz, and Dachau. There are missing children, a hundred thousand plus across this nation. Where are they being taken to? Are they being used for medical experiments? Are there anti-gravitational disks being flown over there that were first developed under Adolf Hitler? Yes, yes, yes. You cannot, you must not allow it.[837]
Dark Eagles: A History of the Top Secret U.S. Aircraft Page 39