Quote:
Originally Posted by MRM
Before you go throwing too many stones, you do know, don’t you, that the US has had more than 30 nuclear incidents, and that the US alone LOST 6 nuclear devices that have never been recovered? That’s right, just from the US there are six lost nukes out there. Who knows how many the Soviets lost.
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It's amazing that there weren't more incidents given "Chrome Dome" and the 24/7 airborne coverage for more than a few years. We sure did crash a bunch of B-47s though!
I have a signed photo from a now retired colleague that had to climb atop an accidentally dropped H-bomb in Arkansas decades ago to get a temperature reading as the first step in making it safe to transport. That was his first "call out", training or otherwise.
While there's not an "AEC man" in the bomb bay with the keys to the box with the fissile capsules anymore - to this day the military doesn't actually own any nuclear warheads/bombs. They borrow then from our benevolent Department of Energy, yes, the one that Governor Perry couldn't name but wanted to get rid of and that Mr Trump sent oil company executives into in Feb 2017 thinking that was where they kept the oil.
I did use control vulnerability assessment of our assets - how to steal and set off our weapons (kinda sensitive), and even we weren't invited to fully understand how the military ensures no unintended launches of ICBMs (once they're lit and leave the ground, there's no going back). They take that stuff pretty seriously.
We've actually helped out some other countries, not just allies, improve their nuclear safety protocol and equipment. Sort of like giving your kid a supply of condoms...