B
Barry Schier
Guest
{Per Walter Lippmann, Amy Goodman reported this remarkable story today
on Democracy Now!}
=====================================================================
chicagotribune.com
chicagotribune.com
NUCLEAR WARHEADS
Military probes how nukes flew over U.S.
Officials: Warheads not activated for use
By Josh White, The Washington Post Tribune
news services contributed to this report
September 6, 2007
WASHINGTON
An Air Force B-52 bomber carrying six cruise missiles armed with
nuclear warheads flew across the central United States last week
after the nuclear weapons were mistakenly attached to the plane's
wing, defense officials said Wednesday.
The Stratofortress bomber, based at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., was
flying a dozen advanced cruise missiles to Barksdale Air Force Base,
La., on Aug. 30. But crews inadvertently loaded half of them with
nuclear warheads attached.
The Air Force quickly launched an investigation that is expected to
take several weeks. The munitions squadron commander was relieved of
his duties, and crews involved with the mistaken load have been
temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the error, Air Force officials
called it an "isolated incident." They emphasized that the warheads
were not activated for use and at no time posed a threat to the
public during the 3 1/2-hour trip covering more than 1,100 miles.
Even so, the mistake raised serious questions at a time when the
United States is pressuring countries such as Russia to tighten their
control over nuclear bombs and the materials that can be used to make
such weapons.
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing"
and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep.
Edward Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Homeland Security
Committee, said it was "absolutely inexcusable."
"Nothing like this has ever been reported before, and we have been
assured for decades that it was impossible," Markey said.
The missiles, part of an Air Force fleet of more than 450 of their
kind, are in the process of being retired and normally would not
carry nuclear warheads while in transit. Defense officials said the
B-52's mission on Aug. 30 did not include training runs, so the
missiles would not have been launched.
Two defense officials said it is unclear how safeguards for the
handling of nuclear weapons were somehow skirted, allowing the
missiles with the warheads to be loaded onto a pylon that was then
attached to the underside of the B-52's wing.
The aircraft's pilots and crew were unaware that they were carrying
nuclear warheads, officials said. Airmen in Louisiana discovered the
error after the bomber arrived.
"Essentially, this is an issue of a departure from our very exacting
standards," said Lt. Col. Edward Thomas, an Air Force spokesman at
the Pentagon. "The Air Force maintains the highest standards of
safety and precision, so any deviation from these well-established
munitions procedures is very serious and we are responding swiftly."
According to Air Force officials, the weapons are designed with
multiple safety features that ensure the warheads don't accidentally
detonate.
Arming the weapons requires a number of stringent protocols and
authentication codes that must be followed for detonation. And they
are designed to withstand a significant impact, including an aircraft
crash, without detonating.
Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman, said Defense Secretary Robert
Gates was informed of the incident early Friday and has been
receiving daily progress reports. Morrell said President Bush also
was notified.
The Air Combat Command has ordered a commandwide stand down on Sept.
14 to review procedures, officials said.
The nuclear warheads carried across the central United States ranged
from 5 to 150 kilotons in destructive force, according to the
Military Times newspapers, which first reported the incident.
"You can wipe out a good-sized city with a 5-kiloton blast," said Jim
Riccio, a nuclear policy analyst for Greenpeace. "A 150-kiloton
warhead is 10 times the size of what they dropped on Hiroshima."
- - -
Nuclear accidents Sources: Tribune news services, Center for Defense
Information The United States has experienced a number of mishaps
involving nuclear weapons. Among them:
Fire at Chennault, 1958: A B-47 bomber with one nuclear weapon aboard
caught fire on the ground at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake
Charles, La. The blaze destroyed the weapon.
The Goldsboro accident, 1961: A B-52 bomber carrying two nuclear
weapons experienced structural failure and broke apart over
Goldsboro, N.C., releasing two nuclear weapons from a height of at
least 2,000 feet. One of the bomb's parachutes worked properly, but
the other failed and the weapon broke apart upon impact. Despite an
extensive search, its enriched uranium core was never recovered.
Collision over Spain, 1966: An American B-52 bomber collided with a
tanker while refueling over Palomeras, Spain, and released all four
of its hydrogen bombs in the explosion. The high-explosive igniters
on two bombs detonated on impact, spreading radioactive material,
including plutonium, over part of the Spanish countryside. A third
bomb landed relatively intact and was recovered. The fourth bomb
landed in the Mediterranean Sea, and U.S. searchers took months to
find and recover the device intact. Last year, the U.S. and Spain
reached an agreement to clean up the radioactivity.
Greenland crash, 1968: A B-52 carrying four nuclear bombs crashed
near Thule Air Base in Greenland. The impact caused a fire that
destroyed the bombs and scattered radioactive materials over a small
area.
Titan silo explosion, 1980: Fuel vapors exploded in a Titan II
missile silo near Damascus, Ark., blowing off the 740-ton silo door
and throwing a nuclear warhead 600 feet from the silo, where it was
recovered intact.
Copyright C 2007, Chicago Tribune
Officials: Warheads not activated for use
By Josh White, The Washington Post Tribune
news services contributed to this report
September 6, 2007
WASHINGTON
An Air Force B-52 bomber carrying six cruise missiles armed with
nuclear warheads flew across the central United States last week
after the nuclear weapons were mistakenly attached to the plane's
wing, defense officials said Wednesday.
The Stratofortress bomber, based at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., was
flying a dozen advanced cruise missiles to Barksdale Air Force Base,
La., on Aug. 30. But crews inadvertently loaded half of them with
nuclear warheads attached.
The Air Force quickly launched an investigation that is expected to
take several weeks. The munitions squadron commander was relieved of
his duties, and crews involved with the mistaken load have been
temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the error, Air Force officials
called it an "isolated incident." They emphasized that the warheads
were not activated for use and at no time posed a threat to the
public during the 3 1/2-hour trip covering more than 1,100 miles.
Even so, the mistake raised serious questions at a time when the
United States is pressuring countries such as Russia to tighten their
control over nuclear bombs and the materials that can be used to make
such weapons.
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing"
and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep.
Edward Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Homeland Security
Committee, said it was "absolutely inexcusable."
"Nothing like this has ever been reported before, and we have been
assured for decades that it was impossible," Markey said.
The missiles, part of an Air Force fleet of more than 450 of their
kind, are in the process of being retired and normally would not
carry nuclear warheads while in transit. Defense officials said the
B-52's mission on Aug. 30 did not include training runs, so the
missiles would not have been launched.
Two defense officials said it is unclear how safeguards for the
handling of nuclear weapons were somehow skirted, allowing the
missiles with the warheads to be loaded onto a pylon that was then
attached to the underside of the B-52's wing.
The aircraft's pilots and crew were unaware that they were carrying
nuclear warheads, officials said. Airmen in Louisiana discovered the
error after the bomber arrived.
"Essentially, this is an issue of a departure from our very exacting
standards," said Lt. Col. Edward Thomas, an Air Force spokesman at
the Pentagon. "The Air Force maintains the highest standards of
safety and precision, so any deviation from these well-established
munitions procedures is very serious and we are responding swiftly."
According to Air Force officials, the weapons are designed with
multiple safety features that ensure the warheads don't accidentally
detonate.
Arming the weapons requires a number of stringent protocols and
authentication codes that must be followed for detonation. And they
are designed to withstand a significant impact, including an aircraft
crash, without detonating.
Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman, said Defense Secretary Robert
Gates was informed of the incident early Friday and has been
receiving daily progress reports. Morrell said President Bush also
was notified.
The Air Combat Command has ordered a commandwide stand down on Sept.
14 to review procedures, officials said.
The nuclear warheads carried across the central United States ranged
from 5 to 150 kilotons in destructive force, according to the
Military Times newspapers, which first reported the incident.
"You can wipe out a good-sized city with a 5-kiloton blast," said Jim
Riccio, a nuclear policy analyst for Greenpeace. "A 150-kiloton
warhead is 10 times the size of what they dropped on Hiroshima."
- - -
Nuclear accidents Sources: Tribune news services, Center for Defense
Information The United States has experienced a number of mishaps
involving nuclear weapons. Among them:
Fire at Chennault, 1958: A B-47 bomber with one nuclear weapon aboard
caught fire on the ground at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake
Charles, La. The blaze destroyed the weapon.
The Goldsboro accident, 1961: A B-52 bomber carrying two nuclear
weapons experienced structural failure and broke apart over
Goldsboro, N.C., releasing two nuclear weapons from a height of at
least 2,000 feet. One of the bomb's parachutes worked properly, but
the other failed and the weapon broke apart upon impact. Despite an
extensive search, its enriched uranium core was never recovered.
Collision over Spain, 1966: An American B-52 bomber collided with a
tanker while refueling over Palomeras, Spain, and released all four
of its hydrogen bombs in the explosion. The high-explosive igniters
on two bombs detonated on impact, spreading radioactive material,
including plutonium, over part of the Spanish countryside. A third
bomb landed relatively intact and was recovered. The fourth bomb
landed in the Mediterranean Sea, and U.S. searchers took months to
find and recover the device intact. Last year, the U.S. and Spain
reached an agreement to clean up the radioactivity.
Greenland crash, 1968: A B-52 carrying four nuclear bombs crashed
near Thule Air Base in Greenland. The impact caused a fire that
destroyed the bombs and scattered radioactive materials over a small
area.
Titan silo explosion, 1980: Fuel vapors exploded in a Titan II
missile silo near Damascus, Ark., blowing off the 740-ton silo door
and throwing a nuclear warhead 600 feet from the silo, where it was
recovered intact.
Copyright C 2007, Chicago Tribune
on Democracy Now!}
=====================================================================
chicagotribune.com
chicagotribune.com
NUCLEAR WARHEADS
Military probes how nukes flew over U.S.
Officials: Warheads not activated for use
By Josh White, The Washington Post Tribune
news services contributed to this report
September 6, 2007
WASHINGTON
An Air Force B-52 bomber carrying six cruise missiles armed with
nuclear warheads flew across the central United States last week
after the nuclear weapons were mistakenly attached to the plane's
wing, defense officials said Wednesday.
The Stratofortress bomber, based at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., was
flying a dozen advanced cruise missiles to Barksdale Air Force Base,
La., on Aug. 30. But crews inadvertently loaded half of them with
nuclear warheads attached.
The Air Force quickly launched an investigation that is expected to
take several weeks. The munitions squadron commander was relieved of
his duties, and crews involved with the mistaken load have been
temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the error, Air Force officials
called it an "isolated incident." They emphasized that the warheads
were not activated for use and at no time posed a threat to the
public during the 3 1/2-hour trip covering more than 1,100 miles.
Even so, the mistake raised serious questions at a time when the
United States is pressuring countries such as Russia to tighten their
control over nuclear bombs and the materials that can be used to make
such weapons.
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing"
and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep.
Edward Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Homeland Security
Committee, said it was "absolutely inexcusable."
"Nothing like this has ever been reported before, and we have been
assured for decades that it was impossible," Markey said.
The missiles, part of an Air Force fleet of more than 450 of their
kind, are in the process of being retired and normally would not
carry nuclear warheads while in transit. Defense officials said the
B-52's mission on Aug. 30 did not include training runs, so the
missiles would not have been launched.
Two defense officials said it is unclear how safeguards for the
handling of nuclear weapons were somehow skirted, allowing the
missiles with the warheads to be loaded onto a pylon that was then
attached to the underside of the B-52's wing.
The aircraft's pilots and crew were unaware that they were carrying
nuclear warheads, officials said. Airmen in Louisiana discovered the
error after the bomber arrived.
"Essentially, this is an issue of a departure from our very exacting
standards," said Lt. Col. Edward Thomas, an Air Force spokesman at
the Pentagon. "The Air Force maintains the highest standards of
safety and precision, so any deviation from these well-established
munitions procedures is very serious and we are responding swiftly."
According to Air Force officials, the weapons are designed with
multiple safety features that ensure the warheads don't accidentally
detonate.
Arming the weapons requires a number of stringent protocols and
authentication codes that must be followed for detonation. And they
are designed to withstand a significant impact, including an aircraft
crash, without detonating.
Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman, said Defense Secretary Robert
Gates was informed of the incident early Friday and has been
receiving daily progress reports. Morrell said President Bush also
was notified.
The Air Combat Command has ordered a commandwide stand down on Sept.
14 to review procedures, officials said.
The nuclear warheads carried across the central United States ranged
from 5 to 150 kilotons in destructive force, according to the
Military Times newspapers, which first reported the incident.
"You can wipe out a good-sized city with a 5-kiloton blast," said Jim
Riccio, a nuclear policy analyst for Greenpeace. "A 150-kiloton
warhead is 10 times the size of what they dropped on Hiroshima."
- - -
Nuclear accidents Sources: Tribune news services, Center for Defense
Information The United States has experienced a number of mishaps
involving nuclear weapons. Among them:
Fire at Chennault, 1958: A B-47 bomber with one nuclear weapon aboard
caught fire on the ground at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake
Charles, La. The blaze destroyed the weapon.
The Goldsboro accident, 1961: A B-52 bomber carrying two nuclear
weapons experienced structural failure and broke apart over
Goldsboro, N.C., releasing two nuclear weapons from a height of at
least 2,000 feet. One of the bomb's parachutes worked properly, but
the other failed and the weapon broke apart upon impact. Despite an
extensive search, its enriched uranium core was never recovered.
Collision over Spain, 1966: An American B-52 bomber collided with a
tanker while refueling over Palomeras, Spain, and released all four
of its hydrogen bombs in the explosion. The high-explosive igniters
on two bombs detonated on impact, spreading radioactive material,
including plutonium, over part of the Spanish countryside. A third
bomb landed relatively intact and was recovered. The fourth bomb
landed in the Mediterranean Sea, and U.S. searchers took months to
find and recover the device intact. Last year, the U.S. and Spain
reached an agreement to clean up the radioactivity.
Greenland crash, 1968: A B-52 carrying four nuclear bombs crashed
near Thule Air Base in Greenland. The impact caused a fire that
destroyed the bombs and scattered radioactive materials over a small
area.
Titan silo explosion, 1980: Fuel vapors exploded in a Titan II
missile silo near Damascus, Ark., blowing off the 740-ton silo door
and throwing a nuclear warhead 600 feet from the silo, where it was
recovered intact.
Copyright C 2007, Chicago Tribune
Officials: Warheads not activated for use
By Josh White, The Washington Post Tribune
news services contributed to this report
September 6, 2007
WASHINGTON
An Air Force B-52 bomber carrying six cruise missiles armed with
nuclear warheads flew across the central United States last week
after the nuclear weapons were mistakenly attached to the plane's
wing, defense officials said Wednesday.
The Stratofortress bomber, based at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., was
flying a dozen advanced cruise missiles to Barksdale Air Force Base,
La., on Aug. 30. But crews inadvertently loaded half of them with
nuclear warheads attached.
The Air Force quickly launched an investigation that is expected to
take several weeks. The munitions squadron commander was relieved of
his duties, and crews involved with the mistaken load have been
temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the error, Air Force officials
called it an "isolated incident." They emphasized that the warheads
were not activated for use and at no time posed a threat to the
public during the 3 1/2-hour trip covering more than 1,100 miles.
Even so, the mistake raised serious questions at a time when the
United States is pressuring countries such as Russia to tighten their
control over nuclear bombs and the materials that can be used to make
such weapons.
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing"
and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep.
Edward Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Homeland Security
Committee, said it was "absolutely inexcusable."
"Nothing like this has ever been reported before, and we have been
assured for decades that it was impossible," Markey said.
The missiles, part of an Air Force fleet of more than 450 of their
kind, are in the process of being retired and normally would not
carry nuclear warheads while in transit. Defense officials said the
B-52's mission on Aug. 30 did not include training runs, so the
missiles would not have been launched.
Two defense officials said it is unclear how safeguards for the
handling of nuclear weapons were somehow skirted, allowing the
missiles with the warheads to be loaded onto a pylon that was then
attached to the underside of the B-52's wing.
The aircraft's pilots and crew were unaware that they were carrying
nuclear warheads, officials said. Airmen in Louisiana discovered the
error after the bomber arrived.
"Essentially, this is an issue of a departure from our very exacting
standards," said Lt. Col. Edward Thomas, an Air Force spokesman at
the Pentagon. "The Air Force maintains the highest standards of
safety and precision, so any deviation from these well-established
munitions procedures is very serious and we are responding swiftly."
According to Air Force officials, the weapons are designed with
multiple safety features that ensure the warheads don't accidentally
detonate.
Arming the weapons requires a number of stringent protocols and
authentication codes that must be followed for detonation. And they
are designed to withstand a significant impact, including an aircraft
crash, without detonating.
Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman, said Defense Secretary Robert
Gates was informed of the incident early Friday and has been
receiving daily progress reports. Morrell said President Bush also
was notified.
The Air Combat Command has ordered a commandwide stand down on Sept.
14 to review procedures, officials said.
The nuclear warheads carried across the central United States ranged
from 5 to 150 kilotons in destructive force, according to the
Military Times newspapers, which first reported the incident.
"You can wipe out a good-sized city with a 5-kiloton blast," said Jim
Riccio, a nuclear policy analyst for Greenpeace. "A 150-kiloton
warhead is 10 times the size of what they dropped on Hiroshima."
- - -
Nuclear accidents Sources: Tribune news services, Center for Defense
Information The United States has experienced a number of mishaps
involving nuclear weapons. Among them:
Fire at Chennault, 1958: A B-47 bomber with one nuclear weapon aboard
caught fire on the ground at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake
Charles, La. The blaze destroyed the weapon.
The Goldsboro accident, 1961: A B-52 bomber carrying two nuclear
weapons experienced structural failure and broke apart over
Goldsboro, N.C., releasing two nuclear weapons from a height of at
least 2,000 feet. One of the bomb's parachutes worked properly, but
the other failed and the weapon broke apart upon impact. Despite an
extensive search, its enriched uranium core was never recovered.
Collision over Spain, 1966: An American B-52 bomber collided with a
tanker while refueling over Palomeras, Spain, and released all four
of its hydrogen bombs in the explosion. The high-explosive igniters
on two bombs detonated on impact, spreading radioactive material,
including plutonium, over part of the Spanish countryside. A third
bomb landed relatively intact and was recovered. The fourth bomb
landed in the Mediterranean Sea, and U.S. searchers took months to
find and recover the device intact. Last year, the U.S. and Spain
reached an agreement to clean up the radioactivity.
Greenland crash, 1968: A B-52 carrying four nuclear bombs crashed
near Thule Air Base in Greenland. The impact caused a fire that
destroyed the bombs and scattered radioactive materials over a small
area.
Titan silo explosion, 1980: Fuel vapors exploded in a Titan II
missile silo near Damascus, Ark., blowing off the 740-ton silo door
and throwing a nuclear warhead 600 feet from the silo, where it was
recovered intact.
Copyright C 2007, Chicago Tribune
