Air Force official rapped after nuclear flyover

[Cardinal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20427730/

Air Force official rapped after nuclear flyover

Official relieved of command after 5 warheads are flown across the U.S.

Five nukes mistakenly flown across U.S.
Sept. 5: Five nuclear weapons were mistakenly loaded aboard a B-52 and flown cross-country from North Dakota to Louisiana last week. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.
MSNBC
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Updated: 2 hours, 3 minutes ago
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BISMARCK, N.D. - An Air Force squadron commander has been relieved of his command after five nuclear weapons were mistakenly loaded aboard a B-52 bomber and flown cross-country last week.
Five 150-kiloton warheads were attached to cruise missiles that were flown Aug. 30 from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to be dismantled, but the warheads should have been removed.
Military officials insist the warheads remained “under control” at all times and did not pose a danger.


The squadron commander, however, was immediately relieved of duty and is expected to lose his nuclear certification because “the Air Force has lost all confidence in his ability to handle nuclear weapons.”

Forgive me for my ignorance, but why is it such a disaster when a nuclear bomber based in the U.S. flies over the U.S. with nuclear weapons?

 

[Kharma Police]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20427730/


Forgive me for my ignorance, but why is it such a disaster when a nuclear bomber based in the U.S. flies over the U.S. with nuclear weapons?

Was he really rapped? I thought that only went on at the academy.

 

[JimNtexas]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20427730/


Forgive me for my ignorance, but why is it such a disaster when a nuclear bomber based in the U.S. flies over the U.S. with nuclear weapons?

I don't think it is common for the Air Force to fly nukes around on bombers any more.

And in any case, the Wing King just hates when someone says "Boss, I could have sworn we had five nukes in here just yesterday!".

It's worse than losing your cell phone.

 

[bssthound]

It's worse than losing your cell phone.

But not as bad as blowing off the Records Management CBT.

 

[Deuce130]

Is it possible the pilot of that airplane didn't know he had live nukes on his jet? I honestly don't know, maybe a BUFF guy can weigh in on how or why this may have happened. Cause I gotta tell ya, it don't look good.

 

[bagasticks]

But not as bad as blowing off the Records Management CBT.

That is F-ing hilarious. . . . . .!

 

[JimNtexas]

Curtis LeMay is spinning in his grave.

 

[AC560]

but why is it such a disaster when a nuclear bomber based in the U.S. flies over the U.S. with nuclear weapons?

One we signed a treaty saying we wouldn't which really isn't the issue.

The main issue as I understand it was that nobody knew they were nuclear weapons so control of 6 nuclear weapons was lost. I am not a military guy but I know they have some pretty strict guidelines on the handling of nuclear weapons. To have 6 weapons effectively fall through the cracks is a rather large boo boo.

 

[tomgoodman]

LeMay

Curtis LeMay is spinning in his grave.

No doubt. Supposedly, he had a sign in his office:

"To err is human
To forgive, divine...
Neither one is SAC policy."

 

[Occam's Razor]

When nukes get moved these days, it's only at the direction of the 4-star at Offut. I'm just guessing here, but it might be that the poobahs in Omaha didn't know about this. StratCom is little touchy about Special Weps.