US flies nuclear weapons over US...by mistake

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

Gee,

Consider me amazed!

I would have guessed that nuclear armed aircraft overflew the US pretty much all the time.

Unless they're intentionally armed, nukes are pretty safe -- even if the vehicle carrying them crashes.

I don't consider this a problem.

Does that make me a hawk?

Not at all - it makes you informed. Really, it's kind of sad that at this point you're either a reactionary or a "hawk", you know?

Nuclear weapons don't work like eggs - if you drop them, they don't just break. The electronic components are actually quite complicated, and (generally) require a detonation system (beyond just "hitting the ground" - most explode before the ground, to increase damage).

So yeah - these things fly all the time, just because "someone didn't know" there likely wasn't any danger, and all that stuff beyond the sketchy circumstances behind this being news-worthy.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Not at all - it makes you informed. Really, it's kind of sad that at this point you're either a reactionary or a "hawk", you know?

Nuclear weapons don't work like eggs - if you drop them, they don't just break. The electronic components are actually quite complicated, and (generally) require a detonation system (beyond just "hitting the ground" - most explode before the ground, to increase damage).

So yeah - these things fly all the time, just because "someone didn't know" there likely wasn't any danger, and all that stuff beyond the sketchy circumstances behind this being news-worthy.

A B-52 crashed several years ago off of Spain. While it took awhile to find them, all 5(?) bombs were found intact.

IIRC several other events as well.

[DeltAlum]

What worries me more than an aircraft was carrying nuclear arms is that it was a B-52. Those things were built in the 1950's. I'd be more worried about one of them falling on my head than nukes.

I'm really kidding (sort of), but during the Cold War a percentage (a third?) of all of the US Air Force's nuclear armed B-52's were always in the air to provide faster response to potential nuclear attacks from the former Soviet Union.

To the best of my knowledge, there has never been an accidental US nuclear explosion due to an aircraft crash (or any other reason) anywhere in the world.

We're pretty careful with the things. And we're also careful with the B-52 fleet despite my making fun of them above. They've been constantly updated and carefully maintained.

[shinerbock]

NO BLOOD FOR OIL.

[AlphaSigOU]

It is officially the policy of the U.S. military to never to confirm or deny the possession of nuclear weapons.

Arming a nuke is much more involved than pressing the mythical red button in the Oval Office. Anywhere there's anything involving nuclear command and control requires a minimum two-person concept to authenticate, arm and deploy nukes. It's virtually impossible for one person to arm or launch a nuke. (And that's ALL I'm gonna say about it within the confines of operational security.)

However, there's probably gonna be several people up the chain of command that are gonna get the sun-dried corncob up the ass sideways, and it's probably already happened.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

NO BLOOD FOR OIL.

This is all Israel's fault.

Free Palestine.

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

NO BLOOD FOR OIL.

Are you serious? First you blame Bush for a military screw up that he had nothing to do with and now you waste our time with this stupid statement? I am anti war and I dislike Bush but this war is about much more than oil, read a book.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

Are you serious? First you blame Bush for a military screw up that he had nothing to do with and now you waste our time with this stupid statement? I am anti war and I dislike Bush but this war is about much more than oil, read a book.

Down, boy. I'm not thoroughly familiar with shinerbock, but from what I have read from him, my guess is that the post of his you quoted was dripping with extreme sarcasm...

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Down, boy. I'm not thoroughly familiar with shinerbock, but from what I have read from him, my guess is that the post of his you quoted was dripping with extreme sarcasm...

I hope so... but I have heard much crazier stuff from liberals.

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

...during the Cold War a percentage (a third?) of all of the US Air Force's nuclear armed B-52's were always in the air to provide faster response to potential nuclear attacks from the former Soviet Union.

To the best of my knowledge, there has never been an accidental US nuclear explosion due to an aircraft crash (or any other reason) anywhere in the world.

We're pretty careful with the things. And we're also careful with the B-52 fleet despite my making fun of them above. They've been constantly updated and carefully maintained.

B-52: Someone over 50 you can trust!

Airborne alert was common in the 1960s but was discontinued after the Palomares (Spain) incident in 1965. There were other reasons as well. From 1965 until the alert force stood down in 1991, the bombers were kept 'cocked and locked' at the alert facility.