The Little Model Shop That Played A Big Role In Killing Osama Bin Laden

Updated Nov 27, 2020 6:24 PM EST

If you grew up having an interest in aviation, transportation as a whole, or defense technology, you probably at least tried your hand at model making. The vast majority of us were not successful in any way. What started as a dream to carefully assemble whatever the image looked like on the cardboard box, usually ended in a crudely painted thing with glue seeping through its seams. Nothing ventured nothing gained, but still, these endeavors left many of us in envy and in awe of those who actually wield the dark magic required to build models to their full potential. It turns out, that some of those folks grew up to make a career out of it—a very serious and highly impactful one—over at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) 3-D Model Shop.

Anyone who has had an interest in Operation Neptune Spear, the operation that resulted in the death of the despicable terror kingpin Osama Bin Laden, is well aware of ‘the model.’ It has been featured prominently in almost every book or other account of the events leading up to the successful raid. The 1:7 scale model allowed for everyone operationally involved in the mission, as well as intelligence specialists, to get a physical handle on the layout and the unique challenges and areas of exploitation that the bizarre compound, which at the time was potentially hiding the terror mastermind, presented.

Basic illustration of the Bin Laden compound. , Globalsecurity.org

Later, the tactics and planning that was greatly influenced by the model would be put to the test on an elaborate full-scale mockup of the compound at the CIA’s Harvey Point training facility, and later at a cruder one made out of shipping containers deep within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) .

The full-scale mockup of the compound at Harvey Point Defense Training Activity in North Carolina. , Bing Maps

It was there that the stealth Black Hawk helicopters and the other elements of the air assault plan would be tested together, their flight plans refined, and dry-runs of the mission were shown to Obama Administration officials in order to get the approval for the high-stakes raid.

So, the model, something uncannily low-tech for our time, was absolutely key to the success of the entire endgame of the decade-long fervent hunt for Bin Laden.

Years after the raid, the model materialized and was put on display in the Pentagon and at the CIA’s own museum. It was an uncannily accurate subscale representation of a compound that was by then seared into the minds of Americans. Now, nearly a decade after the raid took place and on the 19th year anniversary of the horrific events of 9/11, CBS’s Catherine Herridge was able to not only view the model up close, but also visit the boutique unit where four model makers put it together. She even talked to one of the model makers who was actually part of that team. He shares that he and his teammates definitely were debating who was living at the site while the subscale facsimile was being fabricated. And yes, there is an archive of past works locked in the high-security facility, including what looks like a Soviet-era Kiev class aircraft cruiser.

You can watch this segment by clicking over to CBS News here .

It’s somewhat comforting to know that even in an era in which computer modeling and virtual reality are changing how we interpret physical spaces synthetically, this outfit is still operating, as it has for decades.

The NGA’s little shop of model makers, something I am grateful for on this 19th anniversary of that terrible day.

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com

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更新于美国东部时间2020年11月27日下午6:24。

如果你从小就对航空、交通运输或国防科技感兴趣，那你很可能至少尝试过制作模型。我们大多数人都以失败告终。最初，我们梦想着能把纸盒上的图案仔细组装起来，但最终往往只能做出一个涂得乱七八糟、胶水从接缝处渗出来的模型。不入虎穴焉得虎子，但即便如此，这些尝试仍然让我们中的许多人羡慕不已，也对那些真正掌握了制作模型所需“魔法”的人充满敬畏。而事实上，有些人长大后竟然以此为业——而且是在美国国家地理空间情报局（NGA）的3D模型工作室，从事着一份非常重要且影响深远的工作。

凡是对“海王星之矛行动”（即击毙恐怖头目奥萨马·本·拉登的行动）有所了解的人，都对“模型”耳熟能详。几乎每一本记录此次成功突袭行动始末的书籍或其他资料中，都会重点介绍这个模型。这个1:7比例的模型让所有参与行动的人员以及情报专家都能直观地了解行动现场的布局，以及这座当时可能藏匿着恐怖组织头目的神秘建筑群所带来的独特挑战和可利用的区域。

本·拉登住所的基本示意图。（Globalsecurity.org）

后来，受该模型影响很大的战术和计划，将在中央情报局哈维角训练设施的精心制作的全尺寸营地模型上进行测试，之后又将在内华达州试验和训练靶场 (NTTR) 深处用集装箱搭建的较简陋的营地模型上进行测试。

位于北卡罗来纳州哈维角国防训练基地的全尺寸模拟建筑群。（必应地图）

在那里，隐形黑鹰直升机和空中突击计划的其他要素将进行联合测试，飞行计划将得到完善，任务的预演将向奥巴马政府官员展示，以获得对这次高风险突袭的批准。

因此，这种在我们这个时代显得异常低科技的模型，对于长达十年的追捕本·拉登的最终阶段的成功而言，绝对是至关重要的。

袭击事件发生数年后，这个模型终于面世，并在五角大楼和中央情报局博物馆展出。它以惊人的精确度还原了当时已深深烙印在美国民众记忆中的那个建筑群。如今，在袭击事件发生近十年后，也是9·11恐怖袭击事件19周年之际，哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）的凯瑟琳·赫里奇不仅有机会近距离观赏这个模型，还参观了四位模型制作者共同打造它的精品工作室。她甚至采访了其中一位参与制作的模型师。他透露，在制作这个微缩模型时，他和队友们一直在讨论究竟是谁住在那个地方。而且，在这个高度戒备的设施里，还保存着一些过往作品的档案，其中包括一艘看起来像是苏联时期基辅级航空巡洋舰的模型。

您可以点击此处前往CBS新闻观看此片段。

令人感到欣慰的是，即使在计算机建模和虚拟现实正在改变我们对物理空间进行合成解读的时代，这家公司仍然像几十年来一样继续运营。

值此可怕事件发生 19 周年之际，我对 NGA 的小模型制作店心存感激。

联系作者：Tyler@thedrive.com

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