Goodness. Via “Danger Room,”:http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/09/nuke-bomber-fail/#more-57319 we learn that the blog “In from the Cold”:http://formerspook.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-did-barksdale-pass.html obtained “a report”:http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/dangerroom/2011/09/BarksdaleNSIReportSep2007.pdf about a 2007 Limited Nuclear Surety Inspection of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB.

I can’t speak to In From the Cold’s discussion of whether the 2BW deserved the “Satisfactory” grade granted by the inspectors, but the post accurately describes some of the report’s more lurid details:

bq.. According to evaluators, the first attempt at aircraft generation was terminated after 14 hours, due to problems with weapons handling trailers and generators.

A second try at aircraft generations also failed. The exercise was initially delayed (due to uneven pavement under the B-52 weapons bay), prompting a relocation of the aircraft. As the exercise continued, crews experienced more equipment problems. The second attempt was finally halted at the 15-hour point, when “critical faults” were discovered during post-load checks.

During the next attempt, the 2nd BW attempted to generate two aircraft. The third B-52 was rejected due to a critical fault during post-load checks. Ground crews managed to generate the fourth bomber, but not before another equipment problem (with a lift arm) required a weapons demate/mate.

All told, Barksdale personnel spent more than 30 hours generating a single nuclear-capable aircraft.

p. There are other interesting items in the report; it’s well worth your time.

Apologies to _The Wire_…