The United States Air Force Special Area (Restricted) No. 8, simply known as Area 8, is a U.S. Air Force base in the Utah desert.
History[]
Early History[]
Area 8 was constructed around the same time as the neighbouring Area 7 base, presumably to serve as an Air Force bunker during the Cold War. After the end of the Cold War, Area 8 was re-purposed to build prototypes of the X-38 assault shuttle.
By 2001, Area 8 had two working prototypes of the X-38.
Area 7[]
The President of the United States went to Area 8 for an inspection on its progress on the X-38, before he went on to Area 7.
The 7th Squadron's Echo Unit killed the skeleton crew at Area 8 and took the X-38 with the intention of using it to escape into space with the Sinovirus-immune child Kevin. Caesar's forces discovered their treachery and pursued them, and kept the Boeing 747 they were using to launch the X-38 from leaving for a while. Meanwhile, Shane Schofield, the President, Mother and Tate also arrived at the base in pursuit of Echo Unit, and Schofield and the President were able to board the 747 before it managed to take off from Area 8.
When the crisis was over, Marine forces secured Area 8 and used it as their temporary base as they gathered the surviving members of the crisis.
Facilities[]
Aircraft Hangers[]
Because of it's primary function as a construction facility for the X-38 space assault shuttle, Area 8 possesses a few underground aircraft hangers. These store both of the two X-38 prototypes, a Boeing 747 which is intended to be used for launching the X-38s, and still has room for Air Force One to be stored while it awaited maintenance.
X-rail Platform[]
The lowest level of Area 8 is the X-rail platform, which can be accessed by the elevator and stairwell. The underground X-rail track can be used to travel to Area 8 in the west, and onward to a loading dock at Lake Powell, where some supplies are presumably brought in.
Trivia[]
- Area 8's name is somewhat of a play on Area 51, the well-known "secret" base supposedly containing alien spacecraft.
- Somewhat ironically, Area 8 is used as the building place for the prototype X-38 spacecraft.