"It was a sunny day at Cape Canaveral in 1988..." Topic

As part of my Cold War Gone Hot world the Rooskies stage an assault on the Kennedy Space Centre in order to stop Space Shuttle Enterprise lifting off with a boarding party to hostily take over the Mir space station.

Migs out of Havana and an aggressive Soviet Navy, already taking part in the defence of Cuba from a full scale US invasion, provide cover while 10 An-124 transports come up the east cost of Florida. Their payload? The entire 137th Guards Airborne Regiment, equipped with air droppabble BMD-2s.

Only 4 of the An-124s make it over the drop zone without being taken out by USN and USAF missiles.

The survivors make up about a battalion and they float down in their 'chutes un-harrassed over the alligator infested swamps and highways criss-crossing the area.

On the ground, some men drown while others are devoured by gators. Small groups of paras start to form up all around the area and radio communication is established as commanders try to organise. A half dozen BMD-2s survive the drop, crews reach then and they are readied rapidly.

Ad hoc Soviet airborne forces, mostly small groups of infantry, approach Pad-39A from multiple directions but are still kilometers away across the vast Cape Canaveral area. Countdown is a t-minus 60 minutes.

So TMP, my question for you is, what kind of response would the US military mount to this incursion in the short term?

I note mostly air bases in Florida so ground attack aircraft are certainly in the picture.

I recently learned NASA had 4 unarmed M113 APCs for evacuating astronauts and delivering fire fighters in case of an accident. YouTube link

Other than maybe a few security guards (USAF in 1988?) what kind of ground force could be mustered in an hour to counter attack and protect the shuttle?

Hmm, maybe the Sovs want to capture the shuttle and its crew, replace it with their own and launch and land in the USSR? Explains why they don't just try to plaster it with missiles.? Scenerio not set yet…but yeah less than 1000 Rooskie paratroopers in Florida…what happens?

I know from experience that the Coast Guard had 2 medium endurance cutters armed with 3" main guns and multiple .50 cals., as well as several smaller boats that were armed with .50 cal. Patrick AFB is just a few miles down the road, so maybe a company of APs.

BTW, I was assigned to one of those cutters so would have been in the fight.

Looks like all the Army reserve and National Guard units are in Orlando.

Thank you so much for your input psivh43.

Were you personally on an Edenton Class? link

I can imagine USCG cutters engaging the shorelines. But what if those commies were more inland and out of LOS?

"A company of APs"…can I ask if you infer a company of M113 APCs? Wih USAF personnel equipped for combat?

Thanks @Murvihill. How long would it take for NG and AR units to form up an effective combat force tho? I'm guessing the Gung Ho US Marines up in North Carolina, at Camp Lejeune even if most of their numbers are hitting the beaches near Havana, would be more ready and reactive? Maybe not able to hit the tarmac at Kennedy within an hour but though?

Well I was at Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach during 1982. Only a few miles from the Cape.went there several times. You
Military forces in reaction range? The Army SouCom is in Tampa with troops that could respond or command it.
Patrick has many hound Air Force troops plus hundreds of soldiers getting training, like I was, and can create ad hoc platoons. All branch's including combat arms were there.
In regard to irregular forces. During our in brief on security, we were informed that there was over 10,000 spies living in the area. It was during the SR71 flights to Central America so we saw the MPs respond several times to unwanted crowds watching the plane land or take off. So groups of attackers are available that way. In fact among the spy count was from friendly countries for ad hoc defenders.
Another ad hoc defender group would come from the thousands of retired and discharged military, who would gather and defend. An informal discussions at one of the conventions in the Cocoa area was a question asked and the response was aggressive.
Do not forget all of the law enforcement from local towns as well as conservatives with guns and gun carriers are an intense group there.
An aside, when I worked with the EMA conducting DHS drills on school hostage situation, our biggest problem was local folks with powerful hunting rifles showing up at the school want to take out the bad guys. In fact some heard the response radio chatter and actually showed up at theexercise. A different response than big city? Maybe but this attitude was all over Florida too.

There would be a lot more than a few security guards. KSC's security police force is around 300 armed officers. USAF security forces assets have also deployed to provide additional shuttle security. I don't know if they deployed in squadron strength, which would have been about 150 or so members, or at platoon (flight?) strength.

The USAF went to the semi-auto pistil around 87/88, so they may still have revolvers. They would also have M16s. The civilian component would also have some M16s, especially if there was going to be a lift off.

The water assets have already been mentioned. Security forces at the base also mainted watercraft patrol.

I would expect a rapid reaction force stationed in a ready room or a hangar. I would not be surprised if the RRF had access to gun jeeps.

It would not be unreasonable for 150 to 200 armed officers to be readily available at any point in time.

The Russian have landed, let's go bag a few. Armed civilians would make for some interesting encounters.

I was told by a Ranger that a full battalion that he was in was put on transports ready to go anywhere in the world the shuttle went down. They were ready at launch time. This was mid to late 80's.

I got out in 1974 but USAF Security Squadrons for active bases were pretty robust. In an 'all hands' evolution, I'd estimate 250 to 300+ SP's with at least a smattering of heavier weapons (M-60's, LAW's). I don't know if any armored vehicles were retained/brought back but V-100's might be possible and Humvees may have been present by then.

Also note that Hurlburt Field with the 1st SOW is right over there by Eglin. That OB back then would certainly include AC-130 gunships (and maybe AC-119's still?), PJ's who I believe still had HH-53's and possibly other assets.

Hahaha, really enjoyed reading everyone's replies, thanks for the amazing and detailed brass tacks insights. That's why TMP is so great.

Damn I love the USA, even in this outlandish scenario it proves how insanely suicidal it would be to try to attack the US mainland in any way conventionally.

Yeah I just had this dream of a 1/300 shuttle launch pad and surrounds board with NASA marked M113s (I just really want to paint these) and am trying to contrive a back story wild enough that a significant force could conceivably have a chance of taking the shuttle.

But now you've given me some ideas for "zoomed in" scenarios, maybe at 20mm, my main collection's scale. Groups of locals with police scanners showing up to bag and skin a commie? Maybe on fan boats? hahhaha.

Hmm bombarded from the water and air, facing hundreds of rifle wielding security personnel, possibly with support weapons and transport, hunted by ornery locals with all kind s of military experience and well armed, with an Army Ranger reaction force about to land, it's going to be a spectacular massacre.

Maybe I need more contrivance to give the Soviets a chance? Hmmm

MilEFEX3030--I was on a CG medium endurances cutter USCGC Durable. Older ship, launched in the 60's. Crew of about 65. Good times!

Back in 1981, my class was driven to watch a shuttle launch. We were driven to a nearby swamp island and unloaded. The island was about 30 yards on flat ground with swamp all around. We were closer than any civilian observers were allowed. We were told to jump into the swamp if the wind changed direction and blew exhaust toward us. I looked into the swamp water and saw two gators near me.
So a flat boat entry would be a possibility.