Concerns raised over U.S. nuclear security By Bryan Mitchell, Stars and Stripes
Europe edition, Wednesday, November 7, 2007
RAF LAKENHEATH, England — A nuclear weapons expert said the Air Force’s response to a recent mishandling of nuclear weapons raises questions about the security of America’s arsenal worldwide, including at several installations in Europe.
“
Gen. Newton said everything was done to Air Force regulations,” said Philip Coyle, a senior adviser at the Washington-based Center for Defense Information, an independent Pentagon watchdog group. “The problem I had with that was the same conditions could exist at other Air Force bases around the world.”
The Air Force still is recovering from its most serious safety infraction in recent memory after a B-52 bomber was inadvertently loaded with nuclear weapons at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and flown to Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
The Fifth Bomb Group at Minot lost its certification to handle nuclear weapons, at least four officers were fired and roughly 65 other Air Force personnel were disciplined in connection with the Aug. 29-30 incident. Additional probes are slated from both the Defense Science Board and the House Armed Services Committee that may lead to further discipline.
The most serious condition Coyle cited was the storing of nuclear weapons alongside conventional munitions — as was reportedly the practice at Minot.
“Perhaps they are doing that (storage practices) in other places. If they are, there is an opportunity for a similar type of accident,” said Coyle, who has worked at a nuclear laboratory in the United States and served at the Pentagon.
Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50095
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
