Re: Not a crime? THINK AGAIN


Message posted by RoadKill on October 22, 2009 at 8:45:49 PST:

Satellite photos (and even some photos from astronauts in space) of the entire NTS and area 51 were intentionally deleted, blurred, or blacked-out until very recently. All that changed when images taken by foreign governments were released and made readily available to the general public. Part of the blame goes to Al Gore for inventing the internet.

So, the layout of the buildings, runways, etc. are available for view. What you don’t see is the specific activities taking place at the facilities.

One could argue, however, that breeches of the perimeter security (i.e., going beyond the warning signs) might be construed as intel gathering excursions to expose the methods and procedures the security teams use. That information could be used to plan a more sophisticated attack or intel gathering excursion at the facility. That’s one reason the incursions are treated with such immediacy and so seriously.

Think it’s not plausible? How about the (fairly) recent events surrounding Ft. Dix/McGuire AFB in New Jersey. Those people used their maps for planning an attack on the facility.

Now, the security at 51 is tighter, because the activities at the base are highly classified. If you heard/read the accounts from the Roadrunners, many of their test and flying activities were postponed for (sometimes long) periods of time because of the threat of overhead imagery. I have firsthand knowledge of that threat at a different location – we were required to remain inside our facility during a one hour period when a Soviet satellite passed overhead. That was long before “good resolution” images had ever been released.

One needs to also remember that many governments have exploited an adversaries imagery by placing decoys or replicas of weapon systems and buildings in strategic locations. All to confuse the opposition…either to exaggerate strength, or make it appear activity is taking place at a location when it really isn’t, or to make the opposition come to a conclusion the adversary wouldn’t have come to otherwise. It’s called disinformation.

Our government is very aware that satellite imagery is commercially available, with more detailed images coming all the time. Thus, they monitor the satellites and plan operations to not happen when the satellites can “see” them. I imagine they’re looking at measures to render Tikaboo Peak useless also…optical stealth?

If we lived in China, Korea, Iran, or some other such place, there would be no pictures from a place like Tikaboo. It’s a “problem” only free states have. It’s a delicate balance between a “need” to keep secret things secret while not infringing on the freedoms of the people.

I imagine that most of the folks who run this website and most of the folks who view this site would honor a request from the government to suppress a certain photo if National Security were involved. Most here do not want to subvert the security of our nation, but are curious and excited about the innovations in technology that are being developed and tested at 51.

It’s all good fun until you cross the line…both literally and figuratively.

RoadKill


In Reply to: Re: Not a crime? THINK AGAIN posted by CFL2009 on October 22, 2009 at 7:08:51 PST:

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