[pmulcahy11b]

I have two diverging ideas on Area 51 being a target for TDM.

1) Of course! Area 51 is one of the most important centers for military aerospace in the US, and the Russians need to keep the US from coming up with more ideas. It also has a large runway network, including possibly the longest runway in the world, and it could be used as a dispersal base for USAF bombers. (And while they're there, some upgrades could be done to them...) Area 51 reputedly has enough industrial capacity on its own to become an important repair hub. And its power generation capabilities are reputed to make virtually independent in that area, and there are supposedly large stockpiles of food, water, medication, etc, (I've heard figures of anywhere from three months to 5 years). And who really knows what there is in the underground levels and hangers? I'm sure the Russians know there are no UFOs down there, but there could be all kinds of new gear that could be put into use against the Russians.

2) The Russians won't bother. Yes, it's a big R&D hub, but it's out in the middle of nowhere, and staffed by secretive people and covered by deep classifications, making the US unwilling to allow Area 51's use as a general base until it's too late. And with the kind of development times that new aerospace developments take to get into actual use, Area 51 is unimportant as a target.