Pantex: The Place Where Kimmet Was

[7oddisdead]

Yea man..i def wasn't calling him out about that..and while I like the idea of using a nuke site as a "home base" if you will...pucks comments as you mentioned do lead one to thing of more ominous things...

[Red Shirt]

The whole Pantex is a Nuke assembly/disassembly plant discussion took place on the Chapter 29 part 1 thread. Chogidog first posted a link with the correct spelling followed by a few mentions of nuking L.A. Starting with comment number 54.
The discussion just didn't get very far.

Hmm, that's bizarre. Even though I'm a newbie, I was here for that episode. In fact, I think that might have been my first or second regularly scheduled episode. How I missed that in the episode looking for timestamps and missed those posts is beyond me. As I posted above, I found the reference to Pantex in 3/3.


I would like however to address how he may have got there:

The Distance from Ft. Irwin to Amarillo TX is 834 miles. (round trip of 1668 miles.)

• The UH-60L Blackhawk has a range of 1380 miles and that's with ESSS stub wings and external tanks
• CH-47L Chinook, 450 miles.
• CH-46 Sea Knight, 633 miles.
• CH-53E Super Stallion, 621 miles. (AKA Super Jolly Green Giant.)
• S-61R, HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, HH-3F Pelican all have a range of 779 miles.

Only the Blackhawk has the range and that is still a one way trip.

However, if they flew out of Boulder instead, 382 miles, 764 round trip, both the Blackhawk ESSS and the S-61R/HH-3E/F could make the trip (the S-61R would be coasting on fumes though) But, with those aircraft you can only bring troops. Granted, with the S-61R/HH-3E/F you could bring a lot, maybe even bikes, I still don't think it is that good of an idea.

Now, the C-130H has a range of 2,360 miles and the C-130J has a range of 3,262 miles. They can carry in the range of 21 to 22.5 (short) tons of cargo. Both are JATO capable for short runways. (hint, hint) They can carry:

• 92 passengers (128 for C-130J-30) or
• 64 airborne troops (92 for C-130J-30) or
• 6 pallets (8 pallets for C-130J-30) or
• 74 litter patients with 2 medical personnel (97 litters for C-130J-30) or
• 2–3 Humvees, or 1 LAV III(with turret removed) or
• 1-2 M113 armored personnel carriers

The cargo (weight) capacity also indicates the possibility that they could carry one Stryker, though I couldn't find verification of that.

There are a few options for landing, all would require a flyover to determine the feasibility/safety:

• Tradewind Airport in South Amarillo, about 15 miles west of PX. Probably overrun.
• Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in West Amarillo, 8-9 miles west of PX. Possible viable option.
• Stamps Field south of Panhandle, about 8-9 miles east of PX, another possible option.
• Panhandle-Carson County Airport north-east of Panhandle, about 9-10 miles east of PX. The town of Panhandle seems to be a relatively small one, but they would need to fight their way through to get to PX.

However, a review of the satellite image and Google Street view revealed a better option. On US60, between the over pass for road FM1912 and road FM2373 is a 6.8 mile stretch of open, flat road and straight road. I say land right on the damn highway. You could practically roll right up to the front door.

There are no other overpasses and power lines only cross in three places at the west end of this stretch. Assuming that evacuees stayed on I-40/I-40bus/US66 (Yeah baby!)(East-West) or used I-27 (South) or US87/287 (North) US60 MIGHT be open. It also seems that the eastbound side would be safer to land on as well.

(For the super curious, FROM: 35.251586, -101.653351 TO: 35.286539, -101.540703. Power lines cross at: 35.256935, -101.635954 (HV, local); 35.260452, -101.625284 (local); 35.262646, -101.618181 (local, stoplights))

I think that the operation would be a touch and go landing, only slowing enough to drop vehicles and personnel. Take off again and "orbit," waiting for pickup. This would work even better if Kimmet has access to a AC-130 gunship or two to provide air cover during the operation. Depending on the flight path and number of aircraft, the cut at County Road 7 could be used to turn around.

This may have been one of the "Special Ops" missions that Kimmet mentioned.



Well, how about that. I only meant this to throw out a few details, not turn in to a tactical planning session, but there you go.

[7oddisdead]

Either way, very awesome info...gives us quite a bit to think about..good work sir!

[ClearSights]

Great info again!

"However, a review of the satellite image and Google Street view revealed a better option. On US60, between the over pass for road FM1912 and road FM2373 is a 6.8 mile stretch of open, flat road and straight road. I say land right on the damn highway. You could practically roll right up to the front door."

Maybe alittle in depth haha, but I like it

[Red Shirt]

Great info again! Maybe alittle in depth haha, but I like it

Thanks, I kinda do that some times. I've been noodling a couple ideas about it for a day or two... Then when I got around to authoring it, one thing led to another...

[Red Shirt]

I was reading on SlashDot about the recently returned SpaceX Dragon Capsuleand clicked through to learn more about their forthcoming Grasshopper Reusable Launch Vehicle.

One thing lead to another and I found my self reading a PDF titled "Draft Environmental Assessment for Issuing an Experimental Permit to SpaceX for Operation of the Grasshopper Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, Texas." Whatever, right? Checkout page 14, it shows a satellite image of the McGregor Test Site. For a closer look, I pulled it up on Google Maps.

Apparently those hexagonal lozenge sections are launch test complexes. Just like the ones just outside the Pantex main facility.

I'm going to assume that these are Cold War era AEC/DOE standardized testing facilities and are scattered all over the country. Pantex also, so far as I know isn't just dismantling warheads, they are also part of the modernization program. The US arsenal is getting smaller but the remainders are getting upgraded. Makes sense for Pantex to have a rocket testing facility nearby.

So maybe, just maybe, Kimmet isn't after JUST a Nuclear Device, he could also be after launch vehicle parts.

[7oddisdead]

A:..bingo. That's what my brain is thinking as well...assuming your saying launching anything, not just nukes.

B: if your into space-x...we may have just become best friends...