Message posted by Will(NorCal) on June 19, 2006 at 3:41:00 PST:

My interests in the various operations and projects are varied. From a historical aspect, it is interesting to see the progression of our defenses from the seemingly simpler times of the cold war.

I was born in Santa Maria, CA in 1962 while my father was working for defense contractors at Vandenberg, NTS, and the Rocketdyne facility in Santa Susana. Growing up, talk about missile silos, spy planes and listening to the roar of engines being tested "up on the hill" seemed perfectly normal. I have always been interested in the projects of that time, and am curious as to what will come next. I think it is amazing that the very reason for being of the Groom Lake facility - the U-2 - is still in operation today and flies regularly over my home in northern California.

On the other hand, as a taxpayer, I would like to know where those billions of defense dollars are going. In this age of instant global information, it seems the efforts to conceal the source and destination of these funds must be much greater than they were in the 50s and 60s. I think we know who in the world needs to be watched these days, and there really isn't anywhere to hide anymore. What's next?

I'd like to know what the "next big thing" is, and the answer is out there somewhere amid the maze of gray projects, black projects, and political doubletalk.

In Reply to: Strategic Threat? posted by Scot Tway on June 18, 2006 at 20:11:17 PST:

Replies: