C.I.A. Said to Use Outsiders to Put Bombs on Drones (Blackwater helps run the CIA Predators)

New York Times ^ | August 20, 2009 | JAMES RISEN and MARK MAZZETTI

[tlb]

WASHINGTON — From a secret division at its North Carolina headquarters, the company formerly known as Blackwater has assumed a role in Washington’s most important counterterrorism program: the use of remotely piloted drones to kill Al Qaeda’s leaders, according to government officials and current and former employees.

The division’s operations are carried out at hidden bases in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the company’s contractors assemble and load Hellfire missiles and 500-pound laser-guided bombs on remotely piloted Predator aircraft, work previously performed by employees of the Central Intelligence Agency. They also provide security at the covert bases, the officials said.

The role of the company in the Predator program highlights the degree to which the C.I.A. now depends on outside contractors to perform some of the agency’s most important assignments. And it illustrates the resilience of Blackwater, now known as Xe (pronounced Zee) Services, though most people in and outside the company still refer to it as Blackwater.

Blackwater employees assigned to the Predator bases receive training at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to learn how to load Hellfire missiles and laser-guided smart bombs on the drones, according to current and former employees, who asked not to be identified for fear of upsetting the company.

The C.I.A. has for several years operated Predator drones out of a remote base in Shamsi, Pakistan, but has secretly added a second site at an air base in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, several current and former government and company officials said. The existence of the Predator base in Jalalabad has not previously been reported.

Blackwater is not involved in selecting targets or actual strikes. The targets are selected by the C.I.A., and employees at the agency’s headquarters in Langley, Va., pull the trigger remotely.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

That's what the manufacturer says.

General Atomics Predator

[troy McClure]

Good I am glad that they did that.

Blackwater is a company that all Americans should be proud of.

[dervish]

NY is on a witch hunt for Xe (Blackwater).

[RavenATB]

“load Hellfire missiles and 500-pound laser-guided bombs on remotely piloted Predator aircraft
The payload for a Predator IS 450 POUNDS?”

I think they may be thinking “Predator family,” of which the MQ-9 REAPER is one member. Reaper’s payload being far, far greater.

[RavenATB]

I'm amused at the Times’ take on who these Blackwater employees are. These guys didn't exactly step away from a “greeter” job at Wal-Mart and suddenly appear on the battlefield.

[RGRX]

I’ve been a BW contractor 3+ years. I like the company, job , and the people. Best company I’ve ever worked for.

[R_Kangel]

I believe Blackwater is almost entirely comprised of former military personnel who are contracted by the company and paid very well for their efforts.

[El Gato]

That's why they carry Hellfires, although I do think that 450 lbs is the internal/optics payload. However: (from your link)

The MQ-9 Reaper has an operational ceiling of 50,000ft, a maximum internal payload of 800lb and external payload over 3,000lb. It can carry up to four Hellfire II anti-armour missiles and two laser-guided bombs (GBU-12 or EGBU-12) and 500lb GBU-38 JDAM (joint direct attack munition). In May 2008, a USAF Reaper successfully test dropped four Raytheon GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II 500lb bombs, which have laser and GPS guidance.

The article, being from the Slimes, probably didn't distiguish between the Predator (MQ-1) and the Reaper(MQ-9).

MQ-9 Reaper

MQ-1 Predator

[NordP]

This is to remind the CIA and NYT to SHUT UP!!!! SHUT UP!!!! SHUT UP!!!!