On Thursday, the National Security Archive of George Washington University released an online copy of a 400-page Central Intelligence Agency history document that ultimately confirmed Area 51's existence. The US government's acknowledgement of the aviation test site had transpired after decades of utmost secrecy about the place.

Area 51 is a remote field around 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The mysterious test site, which was also called the Groom Lake, was a place utilized by the CIA starting in the 1950s to test fly the agency's high-altitude U-2 reconnaissance plane for its spy plane program. Theories regarding alien spacecrafts and unidentified flying objects were put to rest following the confirmation. The CIA's move to declassify Area 51 was in accordance to George Washington University scholars' request for public records.

Several aircraft prototypes were flown from Area 51. The US continued to spend vast amount of money for CIA's programs. CIA's Predator project was worth USD2 billion, while its Reaper program cost the government almost USD12 billion. However, unlike the aircraft's predecessor around 50 years ago, CIA's machines today are said to be more viable, lethal and undetectable.