MiGs Over Nevada (CIA Area 51 Chronicles – Book 4)
By TD Barnes
Captured Soviet fighters. Top-secret dogfights. The CIA’s covert air war at Area 51.
With the retirement of the A-12 reconnaissance plane, Area 51 seemed destined for a quieter existence. But instead, it became the center of a groundbreaking intelligence operation that would transform U.S. aerial warfare forever. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), in partnership with the CIA, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy, launched an unprecedented program to exploit captured Soviet MiG aircraft, revealing enemy capabilities and revolutionizing American air combat training.
The program, Project HAVE DOUGHNUT, began when the U.S. secretly acquired a Soviet MiG-21. At Area 51, elite test pilots flew the aircraft to analyze its strengths and weaknesses, providing U.S. fighter pilots with critical insights that would shift the balance of power in the skies over Vietnam. This success led to further projects—HAVE DRILL and HAVE FERRY, where additional MiG aircraft were obtained and tested under extreme secrecy.
The intelligence gained from these projects helped reduce U.S. aerial losses, refine combat tactics, and shape the future of air superiority training. The lessons learned at Area 51 directly led to the creation of the U.S. Navy’s TOPGUN program, the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and the iconic RED FLAG training exercises, ensuring that American pilots would never again face an enemy they didn’t fully understand.
For decades, these operations remained classified. Now, with declassified documents and firsthand accounts, MiGs Over Nevada unveils the true story of the covert missions that changed modern air combat. From secret test flights to high-stakes aerial engagements, this book brings to light one of the most influential and least-known chapters in Cold War aviation history.
This book is part of The CIA Area 51 Chronicles series:
The Angels – The CIA’s race to build the U-2 spy plane.
The Archangels – The secret history of the A-12 Archangel and its covert missions.
The Company Business – The CIA’s transformation of Area 51 into a hub for espionage technology.
MiGs Over Nevada – The classified exploitation of Soviet MiG-21 aircraft.
Project HAVE PAD – The declassified study of the MiG-23 Flogger at Area 51.
Project OXCART – The untold story of the CIA’s fastest spy plane.