Livermore Lab Using Mini-Guns To Protect Plutonium - Page 2

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Livermore Lab Using Mini-Guns To Protect Plutonium (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 2/3/2006 5:45:59 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
Of course. Taking care of any piece of equipment is no fun.

I liken it to marriage: Really fun for a little while....Until you have to do the maintenence.

Still, buzzing off a few hundred rounds from one of them at a reactive target is enough to give any red-blooded male a full on war-gasm.

Until you get to blow off a 4400 round ammo can while hanging out the side of a Helo, then shooting on the ground is just lame

Posted: 2/3/2006 6:02:13 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
I believe that those are made by the same Dillon that makes reloading equipment.

According to my local paper, Dillon Aero is the supplier.

Posted: 2/3/2006 6:04:04 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
cool and all, but what the hell could they need it for, even in bunkers, that they couldnt do with the 10 .50 cals they could get for that price...

I'd rather charge an M2 .50 than a .223 minigun.

Posted: 2/3/2006 6:54:20 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
cool and all, but what the hell could they need it for, even in bunkers, that they couldnt do with the 10 .50 cals they could get for that price...

Fire suppression.

.....and basically vaporizing the cabin of an oncoming vehicle (w/ a bomb).....if the guns were manned/locked and loaded when they need them.....

Exactly.

That weapon will seriously f*ck up any vehicle short of an APC that tries to roll up and steal nukes.

By the way, the guys in the picture there are most likely Wackenhutt employees.

No, they are University of California employees. There official job title is Protective Services Officer. There are some who are actually sworn University of California Police officers.

Posted: 2/3/2006 6:57:07 AM EDT

[#5]

Saw that this morning on Fox, pretty cool.

Posted: 2/3/2006 7:06:08 AM EDT

[#6]

Yous can't fully grasp how awesome these things are until you fire one, or at least see one fired up close. They can literally rip a car to shreds in seconds.

The security teams at the local urnainum enrichment plant have some pretty cool toys, but nothing like that.

Posted: 2/3/2006 7:06:28 AM EDT

[#7]

Another thing to get the latte drinking liberal's panties tied up into a knot.

Posted: 2/3/2006 7:18:06 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
LIVERMORE - Larger and more powerful weapons will soon guard the plutonium stash at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The lab on Thursday unveiled a new gun that can fire 3,000 rounds per minute. The Gatling gun, which has a cluster of barrels that rotate around an axis, is as effective as up to a dozen soldiers armed with rifles, lab officials said.

The goal is to protect the lab's plutonium, which is used for research into weapons components and warheads.

"Like a nuclear weapon, it (the gun) will serve us best by never being used but by deterring any attack," said David Schwoegler, a lab spokesman. "We want people to have some serious second thoughts before targeting Livermore."

The weapon, made by a manufacturer in Arizona, has been in development for more than a year, Schwoegler said. Lab officials wanted the gun because of a broad desire for heightened security, not any specific threat, he said.

Several of the weapons will ultimately be purchased and fixed in strategic locations or mounted onto vehicles, Schwoegler said. He would not be more specific, nor would he say exactly how many guns the lab will acquire.

Each gun will cost anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000, he said.

The lab has been criticized in the past for a lack of automatic weapons in its armory, Schwoegler said. Until now, officials have relied on single-fire shoulder weapons.

Lawrence Livermore got permission last year to double its plutonium storage from 1,540 pounds to 3,080 pounds. Plutonium is a radioactive material that can be deadly if exposed to humans.

The lab has not decided when to officially deploy the gun, Schwoegler said.

KICK ASS!!!!

When the .gov has them, they are single fire shoulder weapons. When we have them, they are semi-automatic assault rifles.

TXL

Posted: 2/3/2006 7:22:50 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Lab breaks out the BIG guns

images.recordnet.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=RN&Date=20060203&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=602030335&Ref=AR&Profile=1001&MaxW=580&title=1

They look quite excited about getting this beast

Posted: 2/3/2006 7:26:38 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Of course. Taking care of any piece of equipment is no fun.

I liken it to marriage: Really fun for a little while....Until you have to do the maintenence.

Still, buzzing off a few hundred rounds from one of them at a reactive target is enough to give any red-blooded male a full on war-gasm.

Until you get to blow off a 4400 round ammo can while hanging out the side of a Helo, then shooting on the ground is just lame

*thread hijack in progress*

I like flying RC targets in front of the miniguns--2k rounds of ammo, the whole hillside one huge dust cloud, and from the dust rises my 100 dollar styrofoam and packing tape airplane--untouched...

Shooting a small target at 300 yards when the target is able to move in 3 dimensions at 90 MPH is not easy. Flying that target makes me giggle...

*end thread hijack*

Posted: 2/3/2006 7:28:00 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Sort of the same principle you see in Iraq. Rarely do you see terrorists attacking a group of M1 tanks head on.....There is a reason for that.

Did you read Thunder Run? They did just that.

And they failed.

Posted: 2/3/2006 1:37:35 PM EDT

[#12]

from the CNN article... www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/02/lab.defense.ap/index.html

Lab critics questioned the wisdom of putting such powerful guns at the lab, which is across the street from suburban homes. They say the real problem is that the lab site, which is relatively small at 1 square mile, is not a good place for nuclear materials.

i feel sorry for the neighbors! lol

Posted: 2/3/2006 1:42:08 PM EDT

[#13]

"What we want to do is equip our protective force with the capability that will leave no doubt about the outcome," said Linton Brooks, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

That is priceless. I love it.

But you do, of course, get the whiners:

Lab critics questioned the wisdom of putting such powerful guns at the lab, which is across the street from suburban homes. They say the real problem is that the lab site, which is relatively small at 1 square mile, is not a good place for nuclear materials.

"If you don't have the firepower, that's one kind of security weakness, but if you do have the firepower, you potentially endanger nearby workers and community members because it's such a compact site," said Marylia Kelley, executive director of Tri-Valley CARES, a Livermore-based activist group.

God I hate those people. It figures, 50 miles from San Francisco.

Posted: 2/3/2006 1:45:03 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Quoted:
They will never be needed.

I agree, more of a deterent thing (look at the publicity) and get some folks off their back about not being properly equipped.

True, but look at the whiners they have ON their backs now.

Posted: 2/3/2006 1:50:37 PM EDT

[#15]

I used to drive by that place everyday on my way to work. It's packed into a pretty small area surrounded by homes and commercial businesses. A burst from one of those would have no trouble in finding residences to hit.

Check out Google maps... maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=livermore,+ca&ll=37.685722,-121.709461&spn=0.049041,0.107803

But the lady from CARES is full of crap.

Posted: 2/3/2006 1:55:15 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
The article next weekend will publish exact response methods, team member names, a map of the complex, and gate codes.

Good god, let's let some would-be terrorist be surprised. Instead they know that there's only one minigun to deal with. Our only hope is the Lab only revealed one of many.

The deterrent effect would be useless if it were kept secret.

Posted: 2/3/2006 1:58:08 PM EDT

[#17]

Lets think. Killing the neighbors versus letting a terrorist possess nukear material and able to kill lots of people....hmmm.....whats the greater good......oh that's right, you can't hurt a fly in Kali because PETA hasn't sanctioned the hit on the fly...unlike that PETA dumping of dead dogs in a dumpseter a while back.......

Posted: 2/3/2006 2:05:06 PM EDT

[#18]

GROUP BUY!

Danny

We could all get together and maybe buy 1?

Posted: 2/3/2006 2:44:51 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
...single-fire shoulder weapons.

Where does the media think up this odd terminology?

+1 Any other time that would be a "semi auto machine assault weapon" or some such nonsense.

Posted: 2/3/2006 2:45:11 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
what a bunch of wannabe poser mall ninjas. standing around at a photo shoot like they are out on patrol!

Someone has to protect it!

Posted: 2/3/2006 2:58:19 PM EDT

[#21]

looks like a Dillon gun ?

Posted: 2/3/2006 3:11:01 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
looks like a Dillon gun ?

The article on CNN said they were Dillon Aero 134D's.

Looking at this picture, I'm just thinking how much it reminds me of the guards in a setup scene from a game like Half-life.

Posted: 2/3/2006 3:22:57 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Sort of the same principle you see in Iraq. Rarely do you see terrorists attacking a group of M1 tanks head on.....There is a reason for that.

Did you read Thunder Run? They did just that.

And they failed.

Exactly.

Achmed and the Merry Martyr Brigades might talk a big game when it comes to martyrdom for their "cause", but when confronted with serious butt whoopins they normally pick easier targets and tactics.

Posted: 2/3/2006 3:27:55 PM EDT

[#24]

They can't figure out when to deploy it?

They bought it to protect the plutonium, they might consider using it for that.

Posted: 2/3/2006 3:28:05 PM EDT

[#25]

I got bored one day, and looked up an M134 minigun in the US Mil supply system.. Cost was about $30K each, though I did find a contract price of $17K from Dillon as well.

Posted: 2/3/2006 3:31:02 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Quoted: looks like a Dillon gun ?
The article on CNN said they were Dillon Aero 134D's. i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/02/02/lab.defense.ap/vert.machinegun1.ap.jpg Looking at this picture, I'm just thinking how much it reminds me of the guards in a setup scene from a game like Half-life.

The real thing looks more like an airsoft gun than the airsoft version.

Posted: 2/3/2006 10:16:49 PM EDT

[#27]

The guards can feed that thing with depleted uranium bullets recycled from the lab's nuclear waste!

Posted: 2/3/2006 10:50:20 PM EDT

[#28]

Hell Yeah!

Come on in Hadji, and feel the love.

Posted: 2/3/2006 10:52:07 PM EDT

[#29]

For the "it will never be needed," crowd: Did you actually read the article? Especially this line,

"Like a nuclear weapon, it (the gun) will serve us best by never being used but by deterring any attack," said David Schwoegler, a lab spokesman.

Posted: 2/4/2006 6:28:02 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
For the "it will never be needed," crowd: Did you actually read the article? Especially this line,
"Like a nuclear weapon, it (the gun) will serve us best by never being used but by deterring any attack," said David Schwoegler, a lab spokesman.

They don't understand the meaning of deterence, the same reason we own our guns.

Posted: 2/4/2006 10:11:28 AM EDT

[#31]

I have read that ground mounted mini-guns are not really all that effective other than for intimidation, at least vehicle borne ones.

Eats up your on board ammo PDQ (just how much 7.62 can you patrol vehicle carry, 10 seconds worth, 30 seconds worth, 2 minutes?)

It obscures the target after firing due to the dust. Yes likely it will be dead, but it might not.

For the weight and price I would go with a 50 cal, more range, more power per shot. Do you really want a mini-gun spraying rounds around a major facility. Talk about collateral damage for what is most likely a handful of guys.

Best bet is to put them on helo's, or use normal MG's. Vaporize a car? Ok, maybe, but a truck or bigger is still going to have a lot of momentum after being hit. Buy some AT4's or other suitable vehicle stopper if thats the desire.

JMO

Posted: 2/4/2006 10:13:39 AM EDT

[#32]

Posted: 2/4/2006 10:31:43 AM EDT

[#33]

Ummm, okay, the lab now has the dillion guns but where's the dillion models?

Their official uniform could be a nice bikini top, a pair of cut-off jeans, sunglasses and some tactical boots.

Posted: 2/4/2006 1:09:47 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The article next weekend will publish exact response methods, team member names, a map of the complex, and gate codes.

Good god, let's let some would-be terrorist be surprised. Instead they know that there's only one minigun to deal with. Our only hope is the Lab only revealed one of many.

The deterrent effect would be useless if it were kept secret.

+1.

Vy didn't you tell de WORLD?!?!?!

Posted: 2/4/2006 3:18:31 PM EDT

[#35]

So Dillon guns are great when the government wants a nice protector/deterrent, but you and I can't have them.

Posted: 2/5/2006 6:58:35 PM EDT

[#36]

Where's the shielding?

Sniper could just pick them off.

Posted: 2/5/2006 7:02:41 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
img208.imageshack.us/img208/4540/bilde1vo.jpg
img208.imageshack.us/img208/7411/rodfarva9jj.jpg

Posted: 2/5/2006 7:07:32 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
How long before CA cops want them for vehicle stops.....

How long before cops on your side of the ocean get pocket knives?

- BG

Posted: 2/5/2006 7:08:25 PM EDT

[#39]

Linton Brooks, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, center, looks at a Gatling gun with officers Brian Weimer, left, and Chris McKaskey of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory protection force division, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006. Officials at Lawrence Livermore unveiled a new weapon in their quest for greater security, a turret-mounted gun that can fire 3,000 rounds a minute. The gun is to be installed at similar locations around the country. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Posted: 2/5/2006 7:22:14 PM EDT

[#40]

Bill Lockyer wouldn't give them a permit so I hear the guns will be removed ASAP

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Livermore Lab Using Mini-Guns To Protect Plutonium (Page 2 of 2)

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