I have never heard of the NGA, but I suspect their capabilities are even greater than what is reported here.
They Can See a ‘Stick of Butter from Space’ — The Billion Dollar Spy Agency You’ve Never Heard OfThey can probably tell if you need a manicure and what aftershave you're wearing from low earth orbit.
While most Americans would consider the CIA, and perhaps the NSA, household names, one U.S. spy agency — whose headquarters surpasses the U.S. Capitol in size — has managed to keep to the shadows while possessing cutting edge tools of the surveillance trade.
Called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), even former President Barack Obama didn’t know of its existence when he first took office — despite that the agency employs some 15,400 people.
7 comments:
NGA is folded in administratively under the CIA as are a number of other bureaucratic organizations (National Counterproliferation Center comes to mind as do others).
Very believeable.
Depending with whom you speak, or how things are counted, there are 17 to 27 intelligence... groups. Folded in, as LL talks, they might all be counted as one. Which really isn't the case. Almost like having marines be folded into the Navy. Very different operations, and, to a degree, different command, mostly.
Well, that was the last I knew. Knew? Well, as I had it. I haven't been paying attention for decades though. Still, the more things change, with government, the more there is, not less. You do realize there are underground stations, labs, and probably nearly cities, right? Not always where you might suspect, or even think. Big government is terrifying in what it can and does do.
When I was at Clear AFS in Alaska for my first short tour, they used to give the occasional tour to 'important people', and everyone who worked there got one also. The highlight to me was holding the light bulb in your hand and having it light. Hearing it in the speakers of your stereo always made me wonder what it did to those of us working there.
Anyway, it could track a glove or pencil in space and we kept track of all the junk.
So someone on the ground doing the same from space would not surprise me. I did enjoy Real Genius..
LindaG - you mean the movie? Didn't see that.
Doom - the last controversial underground facility I remember is the one they built under the Denver airport. There's got to be all kinds scattered throughout the country. Lord only knows what they have in Alaska.
LL - I know how hard it is to keep up with the criminal intel that comes into our county analysis center. Can't imagine what it's like on the national level.
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