Groom Lake F-16s

[VulcanDriver]

The latest Google Earth image of Groom Lake shows 5 F-16s with a space for a sixth. These are at the back of the hangers and paper to be painted in a dark material. Anyone know what unit they are from. I'm assuming the dark material is some form of radar absorption paint?

[Firebird]

Darker than Have Glass?

[MIKE JG]

John it's not clear what those aircraft are there for, intercept missions perhaps?? Could also be for chase duties for the X planes that are being tested there. To me I can see the standard two tone gray schemes on some of them so I don't think they necessarily special paint jobs. It interesting to see that the base is very much alive and expanding. I haven't looked at the sat image for a while and to me, the painted runways on the lakebed are new to me.

Those jets could also be there for pilot currency duty. Could be a lot of things but I've seen F-16s in the sat images there for many years. The aliens have to have something to fly!

[VulcanDriver]

Or they are there to escort captured UFOs So I could have a FP for F-16s from Nellis to fly there weekly?

[SG-19]

Oh you humans, You didn't capture UFO's. We captured YOU.

[Tranquil]

I believe they are there for security, if Civvy planes get to close to the boundaries of Area 51 they are warned firstly but if they carry on the f-16s will go up and try to make them move away if they dont then they have a 2nd option of shooting them down!

I saw a documentary a while back where some guy was flying his plane very close to get a reaction from them! they sent up 2 F-16s to warn him off!

Much thanks

Mark

[VulcanDriver]

Thanks Mark, I'll do a FP for them. Can I PM you with a request for a quick repaint job please. Nothing fancy just a white a/c with a blue stripe.

[Tranquil]

Can I PM you with a request for a quick repaint job please

Of course John!!

Much thanks

Mark

[Greg]

Oh you humans, You didn't capture UFO's. We captured YOU.

Mkay... who else was, after reading this and then looking at the profile pic, freaked out a little?

[VulcanDriver]

At first I thought it was one of MAIW staff having a laugh but looking at the joining date I'm not so sure......

[COA732]

Mkay... who else was, after reading this and then looking at the profile pic, freaked out a little?

Best..... profile pic..... ever.

[SG-19]

Thank you it's my first ever what you call selfie.

[TheFoufure]

I believe they are there for security, if Civvy planes get to close to the boundaries of Area 51 they are warned firstly but if they carry on the f-16s will go up and try to make them move away if they dont then they have a 2nd option of shooting them down!

I saw a documentary a while back where some guy was flying his plane very close to get a reaction from them! they sent up 2 F-16s to warn him off!

Much thanks

Mark

Are them Detached F-16's from a regular unit, or permanent Groom Lake unit ? What's the tail code of these F-16 ?

[Tranquil]

As far as im aware they are based there! as for serial numbers! i will see what i can dig up! if anything!

Much thanks

Mark

[dworjan]

I just did a quick search, and the serial numbers for three of the F-16's at Groom are supposedly 86-0052, 87-0383, 88-0152. All F-16D-30's. They apparently have the tail numbers, but no unit markings.

It sounds plausible, given that the spotter reports I just read all say that they've seen two seat F-16's. Haven't seen any pictures.

Chris

http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5523

[Tranquil]

Area 51 also has a few Pavehawks that are used for general security! back in the 90's they were Grey with a 2 tone Green camouflage, today i believe they are just grey! they park on the North Helicopter ramp!



Much thanks

Mark

[clickclickdoh]

Based on the serial numbers of pictures of HH-60s at and around Groom Lake, I believe that they are either on rotation out of Nellis or on paper assigned to the 66th RQS and based at Groom Lake.

[Tranquil]

Yup the serials of the ones that were there in the 90s are:

90-26222
90-26223
91-26352

these have obviously changed now but to what? again i am to believe they are based at Groom Lake..

Much thanks

Mark

[clickclickdoh]

I may actually be wrong about these helicopters currently being HH-60Gs assigned to Nellis. Ready for an interesting mystery? Four HH-60Us were built around 2011. If you don't know what an HH-60U is, you can be forgiven because not much exists on them. They were supposed to be the replacement for the HH-60G, but they kind of dropped off the radar. All new literature lists the HH-60W as the HH-60G replacement now. The thing is, at least as of a couple months ago, the HH-60Us still really do exist and are flying around:



They look like UH-60Ms built to Air Force specs with the new FLIR mounting and a hoist.

If you look up the HH-60Us you won't find much information on the, but you can find that they are on paper with AFTC Det 3. Det 3 of course being the unofficial designation for.... Groom Lake. Which kind of makes sense to put them out there on security detail since the full up HH-60Gs are needed to replace combat losses.

So... who wants to see some JYAI UH-60Ms painted in Air Force colors?

[dworjan]

Sounds like fun to me. It would get at least one F-117 back flying in the sim as well for those who don't like retro.

Chris