A revealing look at the secrets behind the most controversial U.S. Air Force base It's no secret that, roughly 100 miles north northwest of Las Vegas, in the middle of a remote dessert, sits an extension of the Edwards Air Force facility commonly known as Area 51, but its clandestine purpose and operations remain shrouded in secrecy. It's a highly classified, restricted area, but, cloaked in conspiracy theories, its history and true function remain a mystery. Is it only devoted to flight testing experimental aircraft and building black ops weapons systems as some contend? Or is it home to a dead alien, crashed UFOs, and extraterrestrial technology...? Or all of the above?