Search For Lost Nukes leads to Hundreds Of Planes Grounded
The Pentagon has admitted it mistakenly sent Taiwan four fuses used to trigger nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles in late 2006 and only discovered the mistake last week.
The Air Force secretary, Michael Wynn, says the parts were recovered on Monday from Taiwan, where they were believed to have been held in storage after being mistakenly shipped as helicopter batteries from a Defence Departm
More..ent logistics facility in the United States.
"Though this could not be construed as being nuclear material, it is a component for the fuse in the nose cone of a nuclear system," he said.
A policy official in Mr Gates office, Ryan Henry, says the investigation will include a comprehensive review of the US inventory of all nuclear-related components, as well as of policies and procedures.
"We'll do a thorough investigation, and those who are responsible will be held accountable," he said.
"The secretary is quite forceful on this."
It was the second major nuclear security breach uncovered in just over six months, following the mistaken transfer of nuclear-armed cruise missiles from one US base to another aboard a B-52 bomber in September.
Investigators will seek to determine whether the fuses and nose cone assemblies in which they were housed were tampered with, as well as how the error occurred and who was responsible.
Mr Henry says China has been notified of the shipment.
"Our policy on Taiwan arm sales have not changed," he said.
"This specific incident was an error in process only and is not indicative of our policies, which remain unchanged."
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Added: Mar 27 2008 In: news_politics
By: neverknwo
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