Preparations for nuclear armed B52 to go back to Cold War Readiness

by

Marcus Weiberger at Defense One reports that the US Air Force is preparing to put nuclear-armed B52 bombers back on 24-hour ready alert, a status not seen since the Cold War ended in 1991.

Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force chief of staff, and other senior defense officials stressed that the alert order had not been given, but that preparations were under way in anticipation that it might come. That decision would be made by Gen. John Hyten, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, or Gen. Lori Robinson, the head of U.S. Northern Command. STRATCOM is in charge of the military’s nuclear forces and NORTHCOM is in charge of defending North America.

Near the alert pads, an old concrete building — where B-52 crews during the Cold War would sleep, ready to run to their aircraft and take off at a moment’s notice — is being renovated. Beds are being installed for more than 100 crew members, more than enough room for the crews that would man bombers positioned on the nine alert pads outside.

13 thoughts on “Preparations for nuclear armed B52 to go back to Cold War Readiness”

  2. 1) The US went off nuke alert w/bombers in 1987. (It was a Friday, I remember quite clearly when we downloaded the “specials”, and opened up the gates to the Victor Alert area at RAF Lakenheath.)
    2) Just because facilities are being upgraded, doesn’t mean nukes will be uploaded, we carried on with a conventional alert response for several years, and the fighters still maintain Zulu Alert (escort for our Russkie friends and/or civilian aircraft issues) at a number of locations. If you’re anticipating a Global Strike weapon coming on line with an xx minute strike time, you’ll need aircraft prepped, loaded, and preflighted.

    • I just didn’t get that movie. Clearly wasn’t supposed to be serious, but I didn’t find a single thing to laugh at.
      It is possible I am just a tad too young to get “cold war” humour.

    • Great movie and outstanding actor
      All Americans warmongers should watch that movie to understand their moronity
      Would be much useful
      Interesting to notice that that movie, despite being about USSR and USA was a British movie

      • “…was a British movie…”.
        .
        Not exactly. It was based on a novel written by an author with British citizenship and scenes were indeed filmed in Great Britain….but that isn’t enough to make it a ‘British movie’.
        The film was written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubric (an American, through and through). Kubric set up a production company in Great Britain to fascilitate filming for this and A Clockwork Orange, but this is an American film. It was even distributed by Columbia.

      • “…was a British movie…”.
        .
        Not exactly. It was based on a novel written by an author with British citizenship and scenes were indeed filmed in Great Britain….but that isn’t enough to make it a ‘British movie’.
        The film was written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubric (an American, through and through). Kubric set up a production company in Great Britain to fascilitate filming for this and A Clockwork Orange, but this is an American film. It was even distributed by Columbia.

      • “…was a British movie…”.
        .
        Not exactly. It was based on a novel written by an author with British citizenship and scenes were indeed filmed in Great Britain….but that isn’t enough to make it a ‘British movie’.
        The film was written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubric (an American, through and through). Kubric set up a production company in Great Britain to fascilitate filming for this and A Clockwork Orange, but this is an American film. It was even distributed by Columbia.

Comments are closed.