US nuclear bomb damaged: In research released on Monday, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) suggested that a recent mishap may have resulted in damage to a US nuclear device kept at a Dutch air base.
According to The Guardian, the announcement is made just before a new shipment of the same type of weapons is expected to arrive in Europe.
The photo implies that a US nuclear bomb was damaged at a Dutch facility.
FAS discovered a picture of two US soldiers and a civilian from an explosive ordnance disposal squad inspecting the B61 bomb for damage. The picture shows a bent back, a tail fin missing, and pink tape concealing a possible hole.
According to the article, Los Alamos National Laboratory included the picture in a presentation for job hopefuls in 2022. The FAS study also geolocated the image to the Volkel air force installation, one of six facilities in Europe that are home to 100 B61 nuclear gravity bombs as part of a US nuclear-sharing arrangement.
Nuclear weapon damage is commonly referred to as a “bent spear” incident and is typically kept secret from the general population. A representative of the US Air Force declined to comment on potential nuclear bomb damage to a Dutch air base.
But, a spokeswoman stated: “To protect America’s vital capabilities, the US maintains the highest level of standards for personnel and equipment supporting the strategic arsenal, which includes regular training, maintenance, and security actions.”
The official stated that US policy prohibits confirmation or denial of nuclear weapons at any site. This means no confirmation or denial of claims about the image or nuclear weapons at Volkel AB. The statement emphasizes the US’ strict policy on disclosing information about nuclear weapons.
There has been no official confirmation of the first nuclear weapons mishap case.
According to Hans Kristensen, there is no official confirmation on whether the photo was taken at Volkel AB. He also mentions that it’s unclear if the bent B61 shape is an actual weapon or a trainer. Additionally, there is no official confirmation if the damage was caused by an accident or a training simulation. These details have not been officially confirmed yet, according to Hans Kristensen.
He is both the report’s author and the project’s director for FAS nuclear information.
Furthermore, This highlights the potential significance of the image and the need to confirm its authenticity. Moreover, This would be a significant development if the image is verified as authentic. However, Kristensen highlighted the importance of confirming the image’s authenticity.
