Testing secret government black projects without the public knowing

The vast Nevada desert is famous for atom bomb blasts and mysterious military installations. It's been said there's secret stuff out there that could make Star Wars creator George Lucas drool.

Billions has been spent by the government on projects you and I never see.

18 years ago this month, the Air Force rolled out the Stealth Fighter for the publics first look. This reporter even saved his media pass from that day because the plane was, and still is, so cool.

What we didn't know is that by the time the military unveiled the Stealth to the world, it had already been flying for more than ten years.

Earlier this month, the I-Team watched as the Stealth was retired from service, which raises the question, what new toys are they working on out there?

A handful of aviation watchers and a lone TV camera were the only uninvited eyewitnesses earlier this month when the last of the F-117 Nighthawks, better known as the Stealth Fighters, flew into mothballs and into history.

As far as outsiders know, there's nothing else of note going on at the Tonopah Test Range, AKA Area 52. Nothing to see here so move along.

But the mere fact that the Pentagon is retiring one of the premier warplanes in the world speaks volumes to military watchdogs.

"They have technology out here that they are evaluating right now. They say there is almost 30 years advance to what the public knows about. When the Stealth Fighter came out in the late 80's, it was almost 20 year old technology, just to give you an idea of how advanced they are," said Dreamlandresort Webmaster Joerg Arnu.

Stories about futuristic weapons systems being tested in the Nevada desert, at places like Area 51, are staples of aviation magazines. The military doesn't comment, not in so many words anyway, but there are clues.

"It's a glimpse into a $30 billion secret industry," said military author Trevor Paglen.