How do you accidentally load five nuclear-armed missiles on a B-52 and fly them across the USA???
A B-52 bomber flew across the US last week mistakenly loaded with five nuclear-armed missiles, unnamed air force officials are quoted as saying.
The missiles were unaccounted for during a three-hour flight from a North Dakota air base to one in Louisiana.
Air Force spokesman Lt-Col Ed Thomas told Army Times the cruise missiles were "always in our custody".
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. (BBC)
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Hi Debbie, I thought this story was unbelievable. I know that a thorough investigation is underway.
Posted by: Ottavio at American Interests | September 07, 2007 at 06:54 AM
I'm still holding out hope that this was a deliberate leak aimed at getting the Mullah's attention. It sure got ours. I read on another site that the base where they landed is the jumping off spot to the Middle East. That IS kind of coincidental, don't you think?
I realize I don't really know what I'm talking about here, but I think maybe we're getting ready for something...
Posted by: Roger W. Gardner | September 06, 2007 at 12:17 AM
Great comments everyone. There was speculation at the beginning that this was NOT a mistake. Probably wishful thinking.
Yea, too bad they didn't head for Iran.
Posted by: Debbie | September 05, 2007 at 09:44 PM
As a former Strategic Air Command Crew Chief I can state that the chain of custody must be a little looser than when I served (1981-1992).
That being said (other than the oversight) I'm not to worried about airborne nukes, we did it for decades.
Posted by: 2ndWatcher | September 05, 2007 at 07:21 PM
*big sigh*
Oh boy! I'm w/ Christi.
Love your blog BTW!
Posted by: Terri@steelmagnolia | September 05, 2007 at 07:11 PM
It's always somewhat disconcerting when you don't know where your nukes are. This was a communications SNAFU, the missiles were never in danger of being lost or misplaced. Whenever a nuke is removed from storage, it is accompanied by regulation, by a minimum of two armed escorts.
Posted by: Paul Champagne | September 05, 2007 at 05:08 PM
How do you accidentally load five nuclear-armed missiles on a B-52 and fly them across the USA???
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Now there's an "Oops" of the day!
Posted by: michael | September 05, 2007 at 03:36 PM
OMG, does anyone in charge have a clue anymore???
Great find, Debbie!
Posted by: Christi | September 05, 2007 at 01:28 PM
Yes. I posted on that little cutie this morning also. I do wonder, how do you do this accidentally, and I think the answer is fairly obvious. After all, you don't take nukes out of storage in the first place unless you have authorization from high up.
They probably get loaded on as regular drills. Only someone forgot to give the order to take them back off and that was most likely the lieutenant in charge of the gunnery crew. So he, along with his superior, are probably having difficulty sitting ATM.
Can you imagine the surprise when the plane landed and inventory was taken? Yeehaw!
Rasta
Posted by: Rastaman | September 05, 2007 at 01:23 PM
Too bad we didn't "lose" them on Iran.....
Posted by: Grouch at Right Truth | September 05, 2007 at 11:31 AM