Tonapah Test Range- what's there now?

Remember Tonapah Test Range? It's the semi-secret base that used to be home to the F-117 Nighthawk from 1984 until 1991, when they were transferred to the 49th Fighter Wing at Hollomen AFB, NM. Based on my (Very limited) digging, the base still maintains it high security paremiter and secretive ways. Is this true? If it is, what is at the base today?

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance

Still active, as of 3 years ago. My mom was in the AF, and did work out there (and has the coffee cup to prove it!)....

If its like most other things out there, like Tolicha Peak, Indian Springs, etc etc, the "host" squadron will be a detachment out of Nellis.

As for whas going on out there, the only thing I heard my parents talking about was Range/ Red Flag support type stuff. We all know that theres tons more going on far from the viewing public's inquiring eye....

Straight off the Nellis website, if its of any note. A good portion of the test range seems to support the UAV's, from the looks...


98th RANGE WING

The 98th Range Wing (RANW) operates, maintains, and develops the Nevada Test and Training Range comprising of 2.9 million acres and 12,000 square miles of airspace. The Wing operates two airfields at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field and the Tonopah Test Range, the instrumentation for Air Warrior at the National Training Center (NTC) and Leach Lake Range.

The Wing also supports the Department of Defense (DOD) advance composite force training, tactics development, and electronic combat testing as well as DOD and Department of Energy (DOE) testing requirements and research and development. The Wing hosts numerous Red Flag, and U.S. Air Force Weapons School exercises each year, as well as various test and tactics development missions.

The Wing coordinates operational and support matters with major commands, other services, DOE and Department of Interior, as well as other federal, state, and local government agencies. The 98th Range Wing acts as the single point of contact for range customers.

There imost probably an active black aircraft program operating from TTR, an F-117A pilot told me that flat out some years ago. Janet traffic goes there all the time for engineering support. A King Air Janet crashed going between Groom and TTR a couple months ago or something while ferrying EG&G technical support personnel.

Originally posted by MPJay
There imost probably an active black aircraft program operating from TTR, an F-117A pilot told me that flat out some years ago. Janet traffic goes there all the time for engineering support. A King Air Janet crashed going between Groom and TTR a couple months ago or something while ferrying EG&G technical support personnel.

There are planes flying between Groom Lake and TTR? Sounds like something is going operational. This is the smae kind of stuff that was happening between 1983-1986 when the F-117's were becoming operational. Good find! Now the question is, What is it?

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance

Going operational? Whatever is there has been operational for many years, the F-117 guys moving to Holloman was no coincidence, they had to make room for the new stuff.

Originally posted by MPJay
Going operational? Whatever is there has been operational for many years, the F-117 guys moving to Holloman was no coincidence, they had to make room for the new stuff.

Good point! Something is operational out there. That still leaves the question of What?

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance