9/11 Nuclear Plants

Oh, I wouldn't go that far. A few hunting rifles with good shooters behind them would probably take down the guards. A suicide bomber with an explosive vest won't get THROUGH the gate, but he could probably get TO it and detonate.

From my limited knowledge, a squad-sized unit with small arms could almost certainly breach the fence (killing the gate guards) and run wild until the local PD showed up. Actually making the reactor core do Bad Things will be much harder, of course, but if they're willing to die... hard to stop people like that before they draw blood.

The problem for the terrorists of course, is getting a squad sized group of appropriately armed men into a location where they could carry out such an attack.

I certainly agree that if they got in they could do some damage.
 
The problem for the terrorists of course, is getting a squad sized group of appropriately armed men into a location where they could carry out such an attack.

I certainly agree that if they got in they could do some damage.

Fair point.

I'll note, however, that in OTL on 9/11 they did get four teams half that size in control of aircraft. Even if there were six teams (seems unlikely from what we know today), that shows some decent planning. I imagine the various terrorist organizations have rather more decent rifle shots than jet pilots, too.
 
Fair point.

I'll note, however, that in OTL on 9/11 they did get four teams half that size in control of aircraft. Even if there were six teams (seems unlikely from what we know today), that shows some decent planning. I imagine the various terrorist organizations have rather more decent rifle shots than jet pilots, too.

On 9/11 of course they only actually needed 4 jet pilots, but I definitely see your point.
 
Thanks a heap, I live down the road from Shippingsport, Beaver Valley #1 and #2. :p If they do manage a direct hit, I think you'll take them off the grid for sure but as others have mentioned, the containment buildings are designed to be able to survive a hit from an airplane. I know the WTC was designed to be able to take a hit from a 707 and survive, the 757 an 767 are roughly the same weight class as a 707, however, the jet fuel was the major cause of the collapse.

A 767, which was the type of plane that hit the WTC towers, is significantly larger than a 707. Depending on the models involved, it could be as much as roughly twice as large by maximum takeoff weight.
 
A 767, which was the type of plane that hit the WTC towers, is significantly larger than a 707. Depending on the models involved, it could be as much as roughly twice as large by maximum takeoff weight.

From Boeing's website:
707-320B: GWt 336,000 lbs
757-200: MTOWt 255,000 lbs
757-300: MTOWt 272,500 lbs
767-200ER: MTOWt 395,000 lbs
767-300ER: MTOWt 412,000 lbs
767-400ER: MTOWt 450,000 lbs

And, just FYI
747-400ER: MTOWt 910,000 lbs

Edit to add: for a more visual comparison, look here:
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/mommy-where-do-tail-numbers-come-from
B707, 717, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777 nose-to-tail.
 
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A better way would be to target facilities dealing with nuclear material, for example the gaseous diffusion plants at Paducah, Kentucky or Metropolis, Illinois or the fuel fabrication plants in Columbia, South Carolina, Lynchburg Virginia, and Wilmington, North Carolina.
 
From Boeing's website:
707-320B: GWt 336,000 lbs
757-200: MTOWt 255,000 lbs
757-300: MTOWt 272,500 lbs
767-200ER: MTOWt 395,000 lbs
767-300ER: MTOWt 412,000 lbs
767-400ER: MTOWt 450,000 lbs

And, just FYI
747-400ER: MTOWt 910,000 lbs

Edit to add: for a more visual comparison, look here:
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/mommy-where-do-tail-numbers-come-from
B707, 717, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777 nose-to-tail.

What about the 707-020? There is a reason I said that it depended on the model. Also, the 757 is irrelevant as those did not hit the Twin Towers.
 
What about the 707-020? There is a reason I said that it depended on the model. Also, the 757 is irrelevant as those did not hit the Twin Towers.

The 757 was brought up earlier; Boeing's website doesn't appear to have data on the -020 readily available. I was just trying to provide some data.

Also, for some reason, the website listed MTOWt for everything else, but Gross Wt. for the 707. I have no idea why.
 
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