Hidden bases usually bring to mind a bunch of fictional movies like Dr. No or Dr. Evil, but they do exist.

These secret bases are owned and operated by national militaries. What makes them secret, where are they, and what do they look like? lets take a

Yulin Naval Base, China

Located on the southern coast of Hainan Island, this base harbors nuclear submarines. It was revealed to the public after satellites exposed it in 2008. Its strategic position gives China power over anyone daring to cross to South East Asia.

It is comprised of caverns sheltering up to 20 nuclear subs and a harbor with nuclear ballistic missiles. It also has the capability to hold aircraft carriers, Type 094 nuclear submarines, 12 JL-2 intercontinental ballistic missiles, two carrier strike groups, or amphibious assault ships.phew…

Pine Gap, Australia – PRISM surveillance program

This secret base near Alice Springs in the middle of Australia is home to conspiracy theorists’ most feared listening-in technology; ECHELON.

It is officially a satellite ground station operated by Australia, the CIA, and other US agencies and is called the Joint Defence Space Research Facility or Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap.

Porton Down, England

This “military science park” is very near the MoD Boscombe Down airfield and is surrounded by land marked as a Danger Area on maps. Boscombe is the headquarters of QinetiQ, a defense contractor once part of the UK’s Defence Evaluation and Research Agency but is now privatized. They have acquired several US based companies.

Porton Down’s 7000 acres is used by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to research chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear warfare. Public Health England also operates at Porton Down.

Zhitkur Underground Base, Kapustin Yar, Russia

Appropriately shaped like a vodka bottle, Kapustin Yar is the most secretive of the world’s hidden bases. It is shrouded in more mystery than even Area 51 in America.

The nearest town, Zhitkur, was destroyed to ensure no one can observe what happens there.

The purpose of the site was none other than to beat the Americans in the space race, but much of the lore surrounding Kapustin Yar has to do with alien encounters.

Area 51, Nevada, USA

The CIA would like this area to be called Groom Lake or Homey Airport, but its fame and mystery have resulted in several nicknames.

The stories and mythology of the site are well known. The USAF and CIA claim the site is used to create and test specialized aircraft. Satellite imagery of Area 51 is now available for public view, and some aircraft tests are visible in a few of the images.

—warhistoryonline.com