'Mistake' as B-52 flies nuclear missiles across US

A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states, prompting a US Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said today.

The plane was carrying Advanced Cruise Missiles from a base in North Dakota in the upper Midwest to a base in the southern state of Louisiana on 30 August, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a Defense Department policy not to confirm information on nuclear weapons.

The Air Combat Command ordered a halt in all operations to review procedures, officials said. They said there was minimal risk to crews and the US public because of safety features in the munitions.

The missiles, which are being decommissioned, were mounted on the bomber's wings and it is unclear why the warheads had not been removed beforehand.

In addition to the munitions squadron commander who was relieved of his duties, crews involved with the mistaken load — including ground crew workers — have been temporarily suspended from handling munitions, one official said.

The investigation is expected to take several weeks.

The incident was first reported in Military Times newspaper.