Area 51: spy planes behind the UFO mystery

This documentary follows the documented history of Area 51 and Groom Lake, starting with a secret aircraft crash in 1963 and the cover story given to the public. It examines U-2 spy plane flights and the OXCART programme’s A-12, as well as Soviet aircraft tested behind the fence and stealth projects that later became public. The film also considers risks faced by pilots and engineers, and how the U-2 cover story fell apart.

It goes on to examine Bob Lazar’s claims, the separate history of Roswell, and former workers’ concerns about hazardous conditions and barriers created by secrecy. Declassified records answer some questions about the base, but the film notes that they do not reveal everything that remains classified. The spy-plane history is documented; the existence of stories and claims does not establish a link between Area 51 and UFOs.