Blunder Flew B-52 Over US with Nukes

[PsxMeUP]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6980204.stm

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. 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.

I'd imagine if the bomber were to crash and the nukes explode, some other countries "out there" would have ended up as smoldering rubble the next day.

[Superchaz]

I don't think they simply explode. I always believed that nuclear weapons had to be triggered from a remote location.

[Manticore]

Predictable Dr. Strangelove image follows:

[PsxMeUP]

Originally Posted by Superchaz

I don't think they simply explode. I always believed that nuclear weapons had to be triggered from a remote location.

Ya, I'm sure they're triggered. But I also figure even a nuclear physicist would cringe for a sec if he'd accidentally drop a nuke on the floor.

[Superchaz]

The thing that would worry me is if it crashed and blew up... Only because of the radioactive stuff in there. It'd be like a dirty bomb almost. But yeah, just being around that sort of firepower would make me go crazy with paranoia.

[Lunarbunny]

Pretty much any sort of damage (including explosion) to the explosive "lenses" will cause a nuclear device to fail...they all have to trigger at practically the exact same time without any modifications to their shape or it'll just cause some nice plutonium contamination

[UltraJounin]

C'mon don't you guys watch "24" to know enough about nukes and these type of situations? This stuff only really happens in LA

[radio667]

Originally Posted by Manticore

Predictable Dr. Strangelove image follows:

LOL - beat me to it !!!

[Manticore]

Originally Posted by radio667

LOL - beat me to it !!!

Heheheh.

This story made the news here big time and it appears that the people talking about it are very pissed, embarrassed or both.

"No fighting in here! This is the war room!"