Night Ops

Can't remember my first password nor was I able to solve the ridiculously difficult CAPTCHA problems, so I made a new account.

I know I went into a bit of operational information before, but we will hit the ground running.

My first post will be instructions for conversion of the AR-15 platform into a select fire (or full auto only, depending on method) assault rifle for those interested.

We will cover:

1) The swift link
2) The lightning link
3) DIAS
4) Modifying an AR-15 lower to accept the GI auto sear (third hole)

I've used ALL the above methods with success. What you will NOT find is terrible advice like "file da sear" or "remove the disconnector"

After showing you how to configure an AR-pattern rifle for select fire, we will look at suppressors and other basic technology required to use firearms on clandestine operations.

Forgot to mention! I also flew a modified Parrot Disco with 9500MAH battery into the airspace near Groom Lake Nevada this past October.

Went to Vegas for a week and took it with me. Couldn't resist. Drove up Alamo Road near Dead Horse Ridge and launched her on a GPS mission. Ended up flying to Papoose Lake vs. Groom Lake (Area 51) due to a minor mistake of my starting point (about 8 miles south of Area 51)

Pics to come.

Captain CAPTCHA strikes again.

That's right!

Makes me feel very...robotic...when I can't solve them. LMAO

Pics to come.

I'm looking forward!

Nightstalker 1 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 07, 2022 8:35 pm

Pics to come.

I'm looking forward!

Thanks!

I have managed to properly redact (maybe a little too much) a few of them. This shows the launch from Alamo Road (originally planned from the summit of Dead Horse Ridge) as well as the drone's perspective in the first few moments of its 1.5 hour round trip GPS guided-radio silent flight into the heavily restricted area. Turns out, launching on them from within the restricted airspace itself worked like a charm. I might even release what I saw at the destination Even so, you can't be too careful given the nature of the facility. One of the reasons it exists is to test advanced radar against the newest stealth technology. The stealth techniques used on this UAS are certainly not new, but for a vehicle this size they were highly effective. Good thing I made it before the DIRTBOXs' were installed. Although without the active 4G cellular link even they wouldn't have defeated it.

Although I missed Groom Lake by a few miles to the South (should've recalculated the waypoint mission but alas I did not) Papoose Lake is the site of a rumored secret base, and I may have captured some evidence for its presence.

NOTE: These images expire after 30 days and will be automatically deleted. Not sure how this improves OPSEC, but the idea of them being on a public server indefinitely doesn't sit well with me!






Successfully launching against a Top Secret government installation is a worthy cause for celebration. One of my team mates dances for joy while I carefully run the sticks until the GPS mission software takes over flight controls.







Anyone familiar with Google maps/Earth should be able to verify the location is exactly what I claim it is. The topography and land features are as distinct as a fingerprint.

A topo map to help give you an idea where I started and what direction I took off in.



And here is a composite map showing the planned launch point vs. the actual launch point. Turns out getting to the summit of this "hill" was not going to be possible. So I'd have to adapt on the fly.



As you can see in the pictures, this is not a stock Parrot Disco drone. It has been upgraded with a 4G cellular radio with 2 properly spaced/oriented dipole antennas, painted a light gray color for visual stealth and has a matrix of iron spheres embedded within the paint to further reduce its radar cross section. The 4G radio replaced the WiFi based system the stock model used, since 4G blends in far better than WiFi (some anti-air systems look for these tell-tale signatures) plus this freed up the 802.11 antennas for SIGINT or other tasking. The actual penetration occurred with totally dead radio links, with the drone passively receiving GPS data and using its internal flight computer to fly the mission. Additionally, the black thing jutting out of the side is the massive battery I installed. The battery upgrade gave it around 2 hours of flight time, I'd only need an hour and a half max including the 5 minutes it would take the drone to make three passes over the target at varying altitudes and angles

Almost forgot to mention......

My primary air asset took a hard landing on the desert floor when it returned. Although it carried out the mission successfully, I had not anticipated just how solid the desert really is. There isn't really any sand, its all rocks and assorted sharp things trying to stab, poke, cut or bite you.



This is the first time I lost an aerial asset, although it did make it back home at least. Around $400 and months of repairs later, it is as good as new and back to prosecuting targets & patrolling the skies over my primary AO.

One more of the crash site. To give you an idea of how difficult cleaning up evidence can be.



The mere presence of debris in this LOC would prove it was operating within the restricted airspace.

That's interesting.

I need to get meself one of those!

Nightstalker 1 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 08, 2022 1:45 am

That's interesting.

I need to get meself one of those!

They make great tools!

I have three small UAS platforms I run. Mostly two primaries, with an older DJI Spark that is dormant now. They are great situational awareness tools, excel at collecting recon imagery and data and can spot headlights/police lights from miles and miles away when at at decent altitude (~1/4 mile AGL)

I also have multi-mission payloads designed for each platform. Ranging from signals collection and exploitation to jamming to leaflet delivery...they can do it all! Swap a few pieces and parts and you have a highly mobile platform that can be customized to the mission

Every tool is always mission driven. And since we are all (presumably) working within some sort of budgetary limitation (ie: resources are not unlimited), it is crucial to prioritize and manage spending on kit. For instance, don't spend an extra $1500 dollars on a drone when a $500 DJI Spark will do the job. I ran the Spark for years before upgrading, and it was only after my payloads became larger and longer endurance was required for a specific mission that I bit the bullet and picked them up

The fixed wing is the apex of that effort. But even it, with all of its benefits, comes with a caveat. You can't easily or quickly launch or land this thing. It needs at least 600 feet to land, and trying to take off in anything but an open space will ensure you find yourself climbing a tall tree. It gets 6/7 times the flight endurance as the quad rotors, but it has the takeoff/landing limitations. Whereas the quads can takeoff or land from just about anywhere, which makes them light and agile, they have reduced endurance. Its a balancing act!

I tend to use the fixed wing as more of a strategic asset, and tend to carry the quads in a pack for field deployment wherever I need an eye above

Livin that #MustacheOperatorLyfe