On the night of January 14, 2026, an unusual aircraft with a sharply defined triangular shape was observed near the restricted Groom Lake area, commonly known as Area 51, in Nevada, USA. Thermal imagery was captured during the activity of a B-2 Spirit strategic bomber and shows a silhouette that visually differs from any known operational aircraft.
The sighting was recorded by Anders Ottenson, creator of the YouTube channel Uncanny Expeditions, which focuses on documenting flights in highly restricted areas. While monitoring the night airspace along the road near Groom Lake, he captured the thermal signature of an aircraft shaped like a wedge or so-called “Dorito.” This term has long been used among aviation observers to describe platforms with sharply triangular geometry.
The situation draws additional interest because the silhouette closely resembles a mysterious aircraft photographed over Wichita during the daytime in 2014. At that time, independent experts concluded that the images showed no signs of digital manipulation, yet the object was never officially identified.
In 2014, a large dark flying-wing aircraft with proportions unlike any known design was recorded near Wichita. Around the same period, in March 2014, another group of mysterious aircraft with boomerang-like shapes and two propulsion units was observed over Amarillo, Texas. Despite active discussions within the aviation community, no official statements were released at the time.
The recent incident near Area 51 is particularly notable because the new thermal imagery was captured using a completely different type of sensor and under different observation conditions, yet the aircraft’s geometry remains strikingly similar.
The recording was made with an AGM TM50-640 thermal camera. Despite potential distortions due to the long distance, the object’s shape was clearly distinct from the B-2 Spirit, which was also flying over the same area that evening. The B-2 features a characteristic serrated wing edge, while the “triangle” exhibited a straighter and more geometrically simple trailing edge.
The observer had the opportunity to compare both aircraft in real time. According to his assessment, the thermal profile and silhouette did not match the characteristics of the Spirit. While optical effects or unusual flight modes of the B-2 cannot be entirely ruled out, the combination of features points to a separate platform.
On the night of the observation, the B-2 Spirit with callsign REARM71 remained in the area for approximately four hours before returning to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. At the same time, unusually dense radio traffic was recorded on open frequencies, using code words that, at first glance, appeared casual or even playful.
This practice has long been used in military operations to obscure the true content of communications. What stood out that night was the high frequency of such coded phrases and the involvement of callsigns like Sabre, which are typically associated with flights originating from Groom Lake airfield.
Meanwhile, the mysterious triangular aircraft did not appear on open communication channels. This aligns with standard procedures for highly classified test platforms, which rely on secure channels or data transmissions without voice communication.
Analysts suggest that the recorded activity could have been part of a test flight assessing radar cross-section. In such a scenario, the B-2 Spirit may have served as a reference platform, while the other aircraft underwent evaluation under real-world conditions. There is no direct evidence to confirm this, but the flight patterns and radio behavior indirectly support the hypothesis.
The main intrigue lies not in speculating about the purpose or specifications of the aircraft, but in the possible confirmation of a long-standing classified program. If the “triangular” aircraft first observed in 2014 is indeed still flying in 2026, it indicates that some experimental platforms may remain hidden from the public domain for over a decade.
This practice is not unusual within the U.S. aviation industry. Previous programs, such as the F-117 or B-2, also existed for years before being officially declassified.
The new thermal footage near Area 51 does not provide definitive answers but significantly heightens interest in the so-called “Dorito.” The combination of visual similarity to the 2014 object, the presence of a B-2 strategic bomber, and unusual radio activity paints a picture that extends well beyond a routine training flight.
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Source: TheAviationist
