Minot scandal prompts new nuke policy
Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:17:57

The Air Force changes its nuclear warhead handling protocol in the wake of the Minot scandal in which nukes were flown across the US.

The key change in the policy directive is that it firmly prohibits storing nuclear and non-nuclear armed weapons in the same storage facility.
US army officials played down as a ‘mix-up’ the August 29 incident in which a crew at Minot Air Force Base mounted six missiles containing dummy warheads and six carrying nuclear warheads onto a B-52 bomber from a single hangar.
The aircraft flew for more than three hours over several states.
In the aftermath of the Minot incident, four Air Force colonels were relieved of command, and 65 low-ranking officers and airmen were ‘disciplined’.
The new instructions also dictate that all non-nuclear munitions and missiles should contain signs identifying them as ‘trainer’ or ‘empty’ to ensure ‘a clear distinction between nuclear and non-nuclear munitions/missiles’.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=40301&sectionid=3510203