7.Project Oxcart
Once the development of U2 was finished, for a while it seemed that Area 51 has outlived its usefulness and it would be closed. However, a new project came along, named Oxcart. Again the facilities near Groom Lake saw the members of Skunk Works testing aircrafts, this time A-12, much more capable U2’s successor. The site was enlarged and numerous buildings added to accommodate a larger number of personnel needed for the tests. Although A-12 remained in service for only one year, it provided the ground works for several other aircrafts, including the SR-71 and D-21 drone.
