More Double 0's

CmdrAtticus

In the novels there were three to five agents in the 00 Section. I don't recall without research whether that changed in Fleming's novels. Films like TB created the impression there were as many as in a SEAL platoon. My impression from the novels was that given the very nature of the section - it's staff was kept at such a low level because being a part of the Secret Service - which primarily exists for gathering foreign intel - meant that their particular skills would only be needed in specific areas and because these types of operations would arise only occasionally (Bond only got out in the field once or twice a year), it would not require a large amount of staff to do this.

It's obvious that because of the security threats that exist today the film's writers would create the idea that there were more 00 agents. However, to me that seems to make Bond less a special agent. It we have dozens of 00's running around the globe, then what would you need the SBS for? One of the main ideas behind the creation of Bond, according to Fleming, was that he would be just as destabilizing and effective as sending in a whole SBS team - another point for not needing more than a handful of 00's. I think it would make Bond held in even higher regard if the 00 section was presented in the rest of the series as having a very small selection of members.

Thunderbird 2

The highest 00 number mentioned in the films has been 009.
The furthest in the books, has been 0011 in Moonraker.

Seams the number of agents is very small. A dozen at the very most. Full breakdown on Wiki.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/00_Agent

Number24

I thinnk there are nine in the TB movie. I agree that should be a maximum.