Air Force official fired after 6 nukes fly over U.S.
 

A B-52 bomber, accidentally armed with warheads, went over several states. :eek:

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

WASHINGTON - A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

Rep. Ike Skelton, 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 J. Markey, a senior member of the Homeland Security committee, said it was “absolutely inexcusable.”



http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/09/what-nukes-oh-t.html

"A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber mistakenly loaded with five nuclear warheads flew from Minot Air Force Base, N.D, to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Aug. 30, resulting in an Air Force-wide investigation," Defense News reports:
The B-52 was loaded with Advanced Cruise Missiles (pictured), part of a Defense Department effort to decommission 400 of the ACMs. But the nuclear warheads should have been removed at Minot before being transported to Barksdale, the officers said. The missiles were mounted onto the pylons of the bomber’s wings. ... Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Ed Thomas said the transfer was safely conducted and the weapons were in Air Force custody and control at all times. However, the mistake was not discovered until the B-52 landed at Barskdale, which left the warheads unaccounted for during the approximately 3 1/2 hour flight between the two bases, the officers said.


http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncateg...06_b52_2lg.jpg

Scary. Glad they weren't doing any guidance system testing.

The bombs could not have gone off if dropped or if the plane crashed. The issue is that they violated treaty that Kennedy and Krushchev entered into that is still in force. Big $$$$$$$$$.

The pilot: Capt. Homer Simpson

OOOOOPS. At least they had a solid aircraft carrying them. Can you imagine the look on the guys face who was responsible? What I wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall when they discovered that!

later that night: Hi Honey How was Your Day?

They dropped an unarmed nuke in the Carolinas ? years ago.

The only country to drop a nuke in the US - the US.

Friendly fire.:grim:

By God, we've got the best military in the world. Nobody can attack us, but us.

The fact that nukes were MIA for a few hours and not one eyebrow was raised until it landed is what got my attention.

I didn't know they were attached under the wind. I thought they would be inside the plane. I guess that was back in the old days.

Yet, they accidentally flew them across the CONUS. Go figgah.

Exactly.

Where's that? I thought it was over the continental United States?

Are you serious?

Hey, they didn't fly over Berkeley, at least.

It's a "Nuclear Free Zone" with the signs to prove it. (Don't drop them here!)

CMAC2012 would be proud.:pleased:

I wonder if they file an ADIZ flight plan?