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
NBC News and news services

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.

 

[PonchoMan]

Maybe some p.r. puke just wanted to break the story that Bush& Co. have a nice little surprise in store for Iran.

 

[stonewall]

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

What do you mean? I went to the Academy and I don't get what you're trying to say. Something funny? Ironic? What? Are you trying to say "raped?" That's the only thing I can think you're trying to say...but that would be stupid, since nothing like that really happened. Is that what you're getting at? Are we talking about nuclear weapons? Do you have an understanding of how the USAF goes about tracking munitions?

Your post went over my cranium....guess that's what I get for being a caveman fighter pilot.

 

[Jim]

One we signed a treaty saying we wouldn't.

No we haven't. Pure BS comment.

But the rest of your post is ok. Lose of accountability and control are the big issues.

 

[dtfl]

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

Aaah but had they blown off Information Awareness they would NOT have been able to use their CAC PKI to log onto a computer and, therefore, NEVER had the chance to devise an ammo load for that aircraft that was in error, containing the 5 LIVE cruise missiles.

So...the morale of the story is..dont do your CBTs and you wont send 5 city-busters across the country.

 

[Hagar17]

WOW

As a former enlisted SAC nuke troop (463x0), I can tell you there were numerous checks and balances that would have prevented this from happening in the mid-80's. And with SAC, fear was the primary motivator. The troops responsible should go to jail, and it all starts with the sq/CC.

As I approach the end of my military career, I see more and more ridiculous stuff like this happen, stuff that wouldn't have ever happened when I first started out. Your job used to be #1, that's why you were there serving. Now your job seems to be more like an inconveinence that takes a back seat to PT, PME, OREs/ORIs, IGXs, ASEVS, UCIs, SAVs, spreadsheets, metrics, processes, additional duties and endless ancillary training. We (the USAF, at least) have become a force of square-fillers, people that survive their current duty assignment just long enough to get to their next one and leave a steaming pile of sh!t for the next guy to clean up.

Yes, General LeMay is rolling in his grave and so is every former SAC Warrior pilot, EWO, gunner, nuker, bomb loader/handler and maintainer that ever served with the deadliest military force the world has ever seen.

Hag

 

[Vandal]

What do you mean? I went to the Academy and I don't get what you're trying to say. Something funny? Ironic? What? Are you trying to say "raped?" That's the only thing I can think you're trying to say...but that would be stupid, since nothing like that really happened. Is that what you're getting at? Are we talking about nuclear weapons? Do you have an understanding of how the USAF goes about tracking munitions?

Your post went over my cranium....guess that's what I get for being a caveman fighter pilot.

Little sensitive dude?? It's called a joke...I didn't know SNAPs were allowed in the raptor...

 

[Draginass]

Major screwup. There's going to be lots of people in the frag pattern of this one.

 

[Huggyu2]

Your post went over my cranium....guess that's what I get for being a caveman fighter pilot.

Cranium? Is that sort of like "HEAD"?

 

[stonewall]

Little sensitive dude?? It's called a joke...I didn't know SNAPs were allowed in the raptor...

As far as jokes go, it was lacking. SNAP...good one. They teach you that in -38s?

 

[Deuce130]

Little sensitive dude?? It's called a joke...I didn't know SNAPs were allowed in the raptor...

I didn't get the Academy reference, either. Thought it might be some kind of "inside joke" for non-zoomies. I'm glad you came to the rescue, though.