From a reader – September 10, 2007
A reader writes, this post from Democratic Underground is quite interesting:
"Regarding yesterday's LOOSE NUKES story!!! Important update!
Edited on Thu Sep-06-07 03:50 PM by Rick Myers
I decided to dig a little deeper into the story about nuclear weapons 'accidentally' loaded onto a B-52 and have found some disturbing information buried in an unclassified USAF budget document.
Below you will find some of the significant text and a link to the entire ultra-dull report from the Pentagon. But here are some bullet points to consider (tin foil optional):
* We were TOLD these weapons were being moved to be decomissioned. THAT IS NOT TRUE! This current USAF doc says the missiles are being 'refitted' to extend their service life until fiscal year 2030! These are state of the art weapons. The service plan even includes upgrading the W-80 warheads to keep them IN SERVICE.
* If you read the first sentence below, you will see how the USAF decribes these weapons as "designed to evade air and ground-based defenses in order to strike heavily defended, hardened targets at any location within any enemy's territory." Humm... What sort of operation would require such ordanance?
* We have only 38 of these weapons, so 5 of them is a large chunk of the inventory to move at once.
* It is MY OPINION that some 'patriot' leaked the info about these weapons movements. A warning?
* It is also my opinion these weapons were being moved for some other reason, to Barksdale, and then possibly on to Diego Garcia, for obvious reasons.
IT IS TIME TO BE VERY AFRAID! The UK intercepted 8 Russian bombers yesterday, which has not happened in about 15 years. Syria fired on 4 or 5 Israeli aircraft that violated that violated Syrian airspace and dropped fuel tanks in the desert... Dr. Strangelove is alive and well...
Description/Justification
Committee Staff Procurement Backup Book
FY 2008/2009 Budget Estimates
www.saffm.hq.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-07..
(snip}
AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM) is a low-observable air-launched strategic missile with significant improvements over the Air Launched Cruise Missile B version (ALCM-B) in range, accuracy and survivability. Armed with a W-80 warhead, it is designed to evade air and ground-based defenses in order to strike heavily defended, hardened targets at any location within any enemy's territory. The ACM is designed for B-52H external carriage and there are currently 394 ACM in the inventory. The ACM fleet design service life expires between the years 2003 and 2008. A Service Life Extension Plan (SLEP) was developed to meet an AF Long Range Plan requirement to extend ACM Service Life to FY30. Range Commanders Council (RCC) test range safety requirements (RCC-319) and Department of Energy's (DOE) redesign of the Joint Test Assembly (JTA) is driving modification of existing Joint Test Instrumentation Kit (JTIK) test doors. Newly modified JTIK test doors will incorporate Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking capability and components removed from the redesigned JTA package. Without modified JTIK doors, the ACM cannot maintain its DOE nuclear certification, support the W-80 warhead Life Extension Program (LEP) or conduct flight testing used to collect weapon system reliability data. The requirement exists to provide modified Test Instrumentation Kits (TIKs) to support Functional Ground Test (FGT). FGT will provide a critical capability to the Air Force and provide a means of testing the ACM without the loss of an asset. These tests will provide important reliability data for Service Life Extension analysis. Kit modification and unique spare components will be procured to support tests in the FGT facility. Missile Breakdown: Active 38, Reserve 0, ANG 0, Total 38
(snip)
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1748011#1748060
Last updated 11/09/2007
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