Feasibility of a Terrorist Attack on Groom Lake

I have heard rumors that Al Qaeda plans to take dirty bomb materials into the U.S. through the mexican border. But what if Area 51 is their target? How much easier would it be for Al Qaeda to attack Area 51 versus attacking New York City?

Would an Al Qaeda attack on Groom Lake reveal sensative information that would infuriate American citizens?

Would the media be able to cover the story in the event that groom lake was attacked?

Lets discuss this, even though it may seem outlandish. I know our government is ready to repel citizen tress passers, but are they ready to repel stolen gas tankers filled with explosive materials and stolen chemical planes?

That would actually be interesting, especially if bin Laden or whoever did it had gone public with it right after. Would be interesting to see what media/the government would say about the incident. I.e. WHAT was bombed etc. Since there is "no activity" and "no base" they would really have to come up with a good coverup -or risk thousands of people starting to ask questions about the site again... Intriguing thought

I don't think that's an easy enough or "public" enough of an attack. Terror attacks require a splashy public display of some type. If something happened (even an accident) Then the old plausible deniabilty kicks in and "nothing" happened "nowhere". Remember that citizens had to sue the Guvmint just to get medical benefits from burning illegal, toxic substances, and poisoning civilians workers. And that was just so the government would admit the base was there.

Now having said that.... An attack on the Groom Lake facility is definately a suicide trip, and might well be successful because of our arrogance and ignorance. How much stuff got in to the U.S. before 9/11? Our lame security at airports and the like still are in dire need of a overhaul.

From terrorists point of view it would be a wasted attack. They know whats there as much as anyone here does, which isn't much. An attack in Las Vegas would have a much bigger impact on Americans, if they did attack Groom Lake the goverment could say that it was a foiled attack and they blew up nothing, because remember nothing is there

From terrorists point of view it would be a wasted attack. They know whats there as much as anyone here does, which isn't much. An attack in Las Vegas would have a much bigger impact on Americans, if they did attack Groom Lake the goverment could say that it was a foiled attack and they blew up nothing, because remember nothing is there

-Exactly, Wask.

Might as well bomb the white house if you're going to bomb Area 51.

Very Unlikly! Terrorism is about fear. If they attack a target that the public never really sees or hears about, it won't have an effect! Look at 9/11, the targets were simbolic in nature. The World Trade Center was a symbol of economic power, and the Pentagon is the central base for the US Defense Department. By hitting the Pentagon, Al Quada was trying to send the fallowing message: You military can't protect you from us, because it can't even protect itself!

If they attacked a secret base noone ever hears about, what Terrifying message would that send?

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance

I agree with the above statements.

Inherent to terrorism is action that causes fear, and blowing up an airplane development base with maybe a couple thousand employees doesn't quite instill the same amount of fear that would occur when pregnant women with their limbs blown off in a major city are shown on the six o'clock. (Not that gruesome footage makes it to the television in America these days after all of the corporate censorship.)

Zip

that would be a waste of resources and manpower to attack groom lake. if they would(or when) attack with dirty bomb, tehy would pick a target with lots of people and his symbolism

I think that Groom Lake is one of the last places they are going to attack in my opinion

In my opinion, 9/11 is as much part of the government as Area 51...

I'd LOVE to see a large armed militia invade Area 51 though...hell of a firefight...

I would wager that this topic made it onto the government security watch "map" to be monitored.

Originally posted by USAWrestler
I would wager that this topic made it onto the government security watch "map" to be monitored.

Of course,
Al Qeada couldnt even get a mile close to Area 51, all terrorists would be dealt with swiftly before even get a sniff close to the base.

As for an air attack: you have Nellis as part of the range, so I think the possibility of an air attack is slim.

Ground: There are multiple ground sensors burried on the approach to Groom Lake.l (main gate)

Rear Gate: Maybe - its pretty easy to get to, however I think you would get stopped even before you get close to the base.

If they were looking for a target in the area: Tonapah (sp?) or Indian Springs AAF. A bigger target would be the Hoover Dam.

Thats just my two cents...

=-Rich

I would say that borders impossiblity, unless they had enough people to form an small army all in trucks carrying dirty bombs, in this case the numbers would be in their favor that atleast 1 would get in the base. I dont see that happening though, even if 5-10 trucks came at the base, or 30-60 people comming at it theres a long stretch of land for the gaurdes to shoot their new targets at their own good pace, be like shooting at hunting targets.

I think the Base' defenses are highly over-rated...

But the only way to gain acces it an insertion of a covert team by helicopters.

I wouldn't recommend it because there is probably little to gain from it...

And Terrorism sucks...

Im not talking about any major weapons, or alien tech, or any of that. Put 10-15 men on the hills lineing the road with the right weapons and short of an all out attack with infantry and trucks, the base would be safe. I mean im sure the men gaurding the base are highly trained and can hit their fair share of targets at a distance. Think of the space that the truck/s would have to cross before getting to the base. Also im sure they have things that would give them a great advantage in any type of attack, like the fact that they have motion detection on the property, that would allow them to place troops at very tactical places.

As far as an air attack (helicopters), its a top secret government facility, I mean get real here, as soon as radar picked up an unidentified aircraft heading twords the base there would be fighters, or choppers on it. They do have a "no fly zone" over the base after all, how do you think they plan on keep their airspace clean?

[edit on 28-11-2004 by Delirious]

They used to blow up real nuclear weapons near Area 51 and they burn toxic waste in open pits at Area 51. I doubt even if they could get close enough to the base it would do any damage. The Goverment been doing worst stuff out there themselves.

There are hard and soft targets and Area 51 is about as hard as they get. Nobody will get within miles of that place without security knowing about. They also have permission to use deadly force I doubt any terrorist would be that stupid to try anything there.

Good point about the weapons tests, that slipped my mind. They do alot of their work underground to right? And they would have full support from the Military. It just wouldnt be smart or productive for a terrorist to attack Area 51.

What I meant by an insertion is a very low altitude approach with a helicopter with the capabilities of atleast a H-60 series helicopter, ground-hugging tactics will make it very hard for radar to pick up a signature.

The helicopter would insert the team and evacuate the staging area, and even if the helicopter is detected and fighter aircraft are scrambled, the helicopter will already be far enough, the fighters take a while to take off...I doubt there is any patrols.

what the team would be able to do is essentially not very much and chances of them surviving are quite slim, also there is a possibility the helicopter was detected by IR-cameras which are elledgedly placed there.

with luck the team could neutralize resistance on the base and blow up key structures with SEMTEX or C-4, perhaps exposing the technology there...

But by the time the base has been alerted, the team will be over run, the Helicopter will be unable to extract the team due to air patrols and groundfire, if the helicopter was detected it will more than likely be destroyed by interceptors like F-15's or F-16's.

The only possible attack could be by civilians who wish the technology to be exposed there, and frankly they don't have the resources to undertake an action like this.

Even if they have spec-ops training, they still have NO budget.

Questions...

A) What kind of effect will thermal imaging have on Groom's structures? will anything be exposed by it?
B) What are the most substantional radio transmissions that were received by scanners? I have heard about the "Fastmover" incident.
C) Just out of curiousity, what weapons are the Camo Dudes equipted with usually? anything exotic or strange? any info of military personenal? what kind of military units are staged there?

But Al-Quada has no interest in a "secret base with space aliens who were made up by the infidels"