I’ve gone through this post and have a theory. What if they are civilian/military flights associated wtih Boeing/Northrop/Raytheon?etc. You stated they were headed out to the desert which is were most of the testing grounds are for the So cal branches. A photo or video would be good also, a tail number. Keep a disposable camera handy in your car, etc. They come in quite handy in times like this. ;o)
That's a good policy for everyone! I do, because my company requires us to have one in case of an accident, etc. I've replaced it many times because I used them for personal reasons, and I am damn glad I had it.