Desert Rock Airport, Formerly Camp Desert Rock

Camp Desert Rock

Camp Desert Rock, also known as Desert Atom Camp, Nevada, was home to the U.S. Army's Atomic Maneuver Battalion in the 1950s. More than 2,300 soldiers were trained here in 1955. The 100 semi-permanent buildings and more than 500 tents often were filled to the 6,000 personnel capacity.

Desert Rock Airport, with its 7,500 foot runway, was built on the former Camp Desert Rock. At peak operation Camp Desert Rock comprised of 100 semi-permanent buildings, more than 500 tents and some 6,000 troops under the command of the U.S. Sixth Army, Presidio, San Francisco, California.

The camp was activated in the Fall of 1951 for the Buster-Jangle series of 7 atmospheric tests. The facility continued through the Operation Teapot series in the spring of 1955.
The troops, from all four services, were deployed. Many observed the detonations from trenches, tanks and armored personnel carriers at distances of 2,500 to 7,000 yards.

Military officials declared the maneuvers invaluable for the training and orientation of troops and commanders in using essential personnel and equipment protection measures. The exercises also provided experience with atomic weapons and ground forces under simulated atomic combat conditions, both offensive and defensive.

Alleged visits by CIA-linked aircraft

According to information previously published by aerospace journalist Keith Stein's ISI Consulting website, a series of aircraft linked to the CIA have visited the landing strip at Desert Rock. The list includes a number of planes which have been linked to the practice of extraordinary rendition, such as N2189M, N8183J, and N313P.[2] (www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Desert_Rock_Airport...

The Swiss newspaper Blick has speculated that, given the large number of movements of CIA-linked aircraft in and out of this supposedly disused facility, Desert Rock has been used at some point as a secret prison or "black site". It is not known whether Blick's source was Stein's website or if it obtained the information independently