Broken Arrow?

[Grumpmeister]

Jesus!!! How the hell can you mistakenly load nuclear weapons on a B-52???  Bugger worrying about the Iranians, if these morons can happily mount them on bombers without realising then I'm even more bleedin terrified of the yanks than I've ever been before.

The US Air Force has launched an investigation after a B-52 bomber flew across the US last week mistakenly loaded with nuclear-armed missiles.
It follows reports in the Army Times that five missiles were unaccounted for during the three-hour flight from North Dakota to Louisiana.

The air force said the cruise missiles were safe at all times.

Army Times said the missiles were to be decommissioned but were mistakenly mounted on the bomber's wings.

The W80-1 warhead has a yield of five to 150 kilotons, the paper said.

'Decertified'

The flight took place on 30 August, from the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to the Barksdale Air Force Base, near Bossier City, in Louisiana.

Air force spokesman Lt Col Ed Thomas said although this was an "isolated incident", Air Combat Command had directed a "command-wide stand down to review process at all of our bases".

Col Thomas said a general had been appointed to investigate the incident and would report by 14 September.

"At no time was there a threat to public safety. It is important to note that munitions were safe, secure and under military control at all times," Col Thomas said.

"The air force takes its mission to safeguard weapons seriously. No effort will be spared to ensure that the matter is thoroughly and completely investigated."

Army Times quoted the colonel as saying the loading crew involved had been temporarily "decertified" pending retraining and the investigation.

A military official told AFP news agency that President George W Bush had been informed of the mix-up.

"There are procedures in place and they kicked in and worked," the official said.

The BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says experts have made it clear that if the plane had crashed there would not have been a nuclear explosion but there could have been a threat from plutonium leakage.

[Nick]

Gives "friendly-fire" a whole new meaning!

[Grumpmeister]

Given past examples of American smart bombing I guess that these would at least mean they are more accurate than normal - They'd ht what they aimed at anyway.

[Nick]

Washington deserves a small bomb!

[Misunderstood]

After a colossal 'mistake' of that magnitude, how can they say, with a straight face, that we were never in any danger?

I'd say that if 'mistakes' like that can happen, then we are in permanent danger!  It can only be a matter of time before they 'mistakenly' let one off.

But it's nice to know that they can do it to themselves too - I was beginning to feel picked on.

[Uncle Mort]

Was there any real danger? I doubt it.

American bombers (and Russian) have been flying, loaded with nuclear weapons for almost 60 years without any problem. There was the crash off the coast of Spain in the 60s of a bomber loaded with nuclear weapons but there wasn't ever any danger - if I remember correctly the American ambassador went swimming in sea to prove it.

Too many people (encouraged by the media) see the word nuclear and start running about like headless chickens.   

[Nick]

if I remember correctly the American ambassador went swimming in sea to prove it

Rather like John Gummer forced his daughter to eat burgers. Er, did they ever find those bombs?

[Uncle Mort]

Yes they did and Gummer's daughter didn't develop BSE.

I wonder where this story might be going?

MMR overdose given to 93 pupils

[Pastis]

When I read his story an image came to mind...



Yeee .. haa!

[Misunderstood]

Was there any real danger? I doubt it.

American bombers (and Russian) have been flying, loaded with nuclear weapons for almost 60 years without any problem. There was the crash off the coast of Spain in the 60s of a bomber loaded with nuclear weapons but there wasn't ever any danger - if I remember correctly the American ambassador went swimming in sea to prove it.

Too many people (encouraged by the media) see the word nuclear and start running about like headless chickens.   

I don't suppose there was any danger from the nuclear devices,  It's the gross incompetence of those that handle them that I worry about.

What were they thinking about when they armed the aircraft instead of loading it.  Surely DEFCON 0 counts for something...  Loading a military aircraft is a complex job involving a lot of people, it includes people that have the responsibility of ensuring that others don't make mistakes.    And nobody noticed?   

That scares the shit out of me.

[Barman]

Was there any real danger? I doubt it.

American bombers (and Russian) have been flying, loaded with nuclear weapons for almost 60 years without any problem. There was the crash off the coast of Spain in the 60s of a bomber loaded with nuclear weapons but there wasn't ever any danger - if I remember correctly the American ambassador went swimming in sea to prove it.

Too many people (encouraged by the media) see the word nuclear and start running about like headless chickens.   

I don't suppose there was any danger from the nuclear devices,  It's the gross incompetence of those that handle them that I worry about.

What were they thinking about when they armed the aircraft instead of loading it.  Surely DEFCON 0 counts for something...  Loading a military aircraft is a complex job involving a lot of people, it includes people that have the responsibility of ensuring that others don't make mistakes.    And nobody noticed?   

That scares the shit out of me.

I agree?

While there probably was no danger this surely is an area where mistakes should not be allowed to happen?

You?d imagine that there would be some complex authorisation procedure required to be completed in triplicate and signed-off at each stage before a ?nuke could be loaded on an aircraft? What if a ?nuke was accidentally loaded instead of a training round? 

[Grumpmeister]

It could have been much worse, at least they werent set to go on a live fire exercise.

[tel]

Many moons ago a friend of mine was stationed at RAF Valley (someone mentioned it the other day) and they had an open day. Little lad sits in Hunter cockpit and presses fire button - 20mm cannon removes half of hanger! Oops. It can happen to anybody.

[Nick]

Nothing to do with me!

[Grumpmeister]

True Tel, but it seems to happen to the Americans far more often than anyone else.

Nick had you been the little boy then the entire base would have vanished under a hail of 20mm rounds, not just half a hanger