NASA SWAT

I did a search of the forums and was surprised to see no one has, as of yet, written about NASA's SWAT team. They don't deny it:

www.nasa.gov...

Pictures:
www.militaryphotos.net...
(Warning: I am a member of that forum and the members there are very hostile towards outsiders/newbies.)

Finally, if anyone has the most recent catalog of Blackhawk Products, look at the pictures and you will see that they are all of NASA SWAT team members.

It is a very interesting team with very interesting equipment. For example, they operate a helicopter (UH-1 "Hueys") equipped with an H&K model 21 machine gun in the door. They have armored vehicles and a variety of expensive gadgets. They essentially provide security of the facilities and protect the shuttle during all phases of roll-out and launch.

Also, NASA's Office of the Inspector General has a small team of federal agents acting as criminal investigators. They investigate fraud, waste, etc. Wonder if they investigate anything worth of ATS mention....

Anyway, enjoy the pictures and info on this extremely unique armed branch of NASA.

Edit: Changed the link on the pictures because it was bad.

[edit on 12-12-2007 by Grozny07]

The NASA Office of the Inspector General probably spies on it's workers and keeps tabs on people in charge of sensitive information.
It's too bad Richard Branson can't get that kind of security for his space ships, maybe then NASA wouldn't be able to sabotage them LOL.

Why does NASA need this BS protection from?

Before I saw the images I was visualizing scientists with nerdy glasses in some kind of hard core military uniform.....

Scientists with attitude.....

Well, terrorists like targets with meaning. If they could take out the Statue of Liberty, they'd do it even if there was no one there to kill. The space shuttle represents a lot to many Americans. And it's a relatively easy target to destroy; it's a giant bomb filled with rocket fuel. It's big and you could probably take it down with an RPG or a .50 caliber sniper rifle (assuming you fired at it while it was on the pad with the engines going right before liftoff and you hit the tank). So NASA employs a tactical team to make the shuttle as much of a "hard target" as possible, as opposed to a "soft target".

Topic you link to says they've been around sincxe 1979.
I think they are just there to act as a police force for NASA so they can do what they like to whoever works for them.

Well, terrorism was around then too. The 70s were the hijacking golden age, and it's not inconceivable that someone may have wanted to target NASA space vehicles. However, you are forgetting that the Soviet Union was around then, and there was probably concern over sabotage and/or espionage. NASA has worked with the Department of Defense on military secrets relating to satellites, etc. These are not things you'd want the Soviets finding out about. Later on in time, the space shuttle flew at least two classified DoD missions (launching satellites). I don't think they are NASA's Stasi

The UH-1 was a great helicopter during the Vietnam war, but why would a modern SWAT team use a 50 year old (design) helicopter like the Huey? Most are very retired, I believe. I saw a video awhile back called "The Shadow of the Blade" in which a Huey was re-built, flown on goodwill veteran tours then retired in New Mexico.

Interesting story on the NASA SWAT team. Thanks.


[edit on 12/17/2007 by TheAvenger]

I'm not sure why they'd use a UH-1. Here are some pictures of their UH-1s though for your viewing enjoyment.

[IMG" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow">inlinethumb03.webshots.com... [/IMG]]You can clearly see the door mounted guns here

Well, this is very interesting. I have never heard of this but I can see why they would need protection and I don't see anything wrong with it. Why couldn't they just use the military?

I imagine they don't use the military because NASA is technically a civilian space agency and that's not the image they want to send. However, since NASA facilities are federal property, posse comitatus does not apply. In theory, there is no reason why the military couldn't provide security. I think it just comes down to image.

The military guards other nation's space programs. The European Union utilizes the French Foreign Legion (3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment) to provide security for the Ariane rocket launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana.

Double post, sorry

[edit on 12/17/2007 by TheAvenger]

Double post again. How did that happen? Really sorry.



[edit on 12/17/2007 by TheAvenger]

Originally posted by Grozny07
I'm not sure why they'd use a UH-1. Here are some pictures of their UH-1s though for your viewing enjoyment.

I love the Huey, used to fly in them. Thanks for sharing the pictures of this beautiful NASA bird.

very intresting, i never knew a nasa special force existed, you brought some new info on to the table and i give props for that, most members talk out of their ass and never come with any new or prof.

TheAvenger, you're welcome for the pics though I have to admit I just took them off of Google Images. I uploaded them here because I know people get grumpy when you hotlink to their images. When did you fly Hueys?

nwomi, I'm glad you liked the thread. I've been thinking about making a thread that would showcase some of the lesser-known government offices and agencies.

None of it is secret or conspiratorial, just interesting.

Originally posted by Grozny07
TheAvenger, you're welcome for the pics though I have to admit I just took them off of Google Images. I uploaded them here because I know people get grumpy when you hotlink to their images. When did you fly Hueys?

Vietnam, 1969-1970. Also at Fort Rucker, Alabama 1973-1975. I did not mean to mislead you, because I was merely a passenger in Hueys, not the pilot.

FAA records show that the helicopter pictured was built in 1993. I love sitting in the door gunner position of UH-1. You just kinda hang out on the edge with that sidewards lap belt. Too cool!!!
Also, there is an airforce station and a naval facility of some kind on Cape Canaveral.
A SWAT style security force might be ideal considering the area surrounding the space center is swamp and wildlife refuge.

FAA records show that the helicopter pictured was built in 1993. I love sitting in the door gunner position of UH-1. You just kinda hang out on the edge with that sidewards lap belt. Too cool!!!
Also, there is an airforce station and a naval facility of some kind on Cape Canaveral.
A SWAT style security force might be ideal considering the area surrounding the space center is swamp and wildlife refuge.

What's with the double posts recently eh?
Anyway, I can understand having a safety escort for astronauts as well as to protect the tech they have. Makes sense. That's a lot of money sitting around there. I remember seeing these fellows in clips of shuttles landing and the crews disembarking. never really thought about it.

TheAvenger, I've never had the privilege of flying in a UH-1, only the UH-60 "Crash-hawks". Our National Guard in this state maintains some UH-1s in a "Dust Off" role, so I get to see them flying over all the time. If you ask me, the guys who ride in the back have the most fun

I'm glad that this thread has been well received. Assassini, nice work on figuring out the age of that helicopter. I'm older than it (which I can't say about too many things yet), and I still work work well so I guess NASA is okay

Anyway, I'm going to hijack my own thread. What says the members about me posting up some more obscure (but still in the public realm) units like this?