NUCLEAR MISMANAGEMENT ONLY PART OF STORY
by Fred Edwards

June 13, 2008 — Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael “Buzz” Moseley were forced to resign after an inquiry found “a pattern of poor performance” in securing sensitive military components, said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates. Newsworthy events included allowing an aircraft to fly within the United States with six armed nuclear weapons, and accidentally shipping nuclear triggers to Taiwan. But that’s only the surface of the story. Let’s look deeper.

How lax was the Air Force? On June 6 the president of the Air Force Association, retired Air Force Lt. Gen Michael M. Dunn, wrote, ” The Air Force has taken more than 100 steps to improve nuclear surety since last year. And … while we have not seen the investigative report that presumably led to the firing, according to every press release on the subject, it was the Defense Logistics Agency which released the ICBM parts to Taiwan - not the Air Force.”

Of course we can take no chances with weapons that can destroy cities and regions. Listen to a retired senior Air Force officer who lived with nuclear weapons for 18 years, including 2,000 hours in B-52s, command of a Titan II ICBM launch crew, and other command positions in Titan II and Minuteman III ICBM wings: “When you are dealing with nuclear weapons and systems, you must be as strict as you can be.” He agreed that in case of serious security lapses it’s okay to fire the “top guys,” but added that we also should fire the “wrench benders” (senior maintenance officers). When the problem first surfaced, a wing commander and a maintenance commander were fired, “but that’s not enough,” he asserted. “There’s an institutional attitude which we must purge.”

On the other hand, a retired Air Force major general with more than 30 years of service, who had broad experience with strategic planning, operations and intelligence, suggested that the overflight of the United States should be viewed in context. He recounted that the Air Force flew hundreds of missions with nuclear weapons over the United States before, during, and after the Cuban missile crisis, with no more real positive control than “the integrity and guts of SAC crews.”

But a violation is a violation. Who besides the “wrench benders” should be fired? Should it be the Air Force chief of staff? General Dunn of the Air Force Association wrote on June 6 that Gen. Moseley has no subordinates in the Air Force for which he is responsible. Dunn stated, “General Moseley is not in the chain of command — his principal role is to provide military advice to the President, Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council.”

Then why did Gates fire his Air Force secretary and chief of staff? The retired major general previously quoted said it resulted from differences over procurement objectives and the overall security posture of the United States. “I believe that Dr. Gates cashiered (Wynne and Moseley), not because of admitted lapses in nuclear security, which they were correcting, but over differences in how hard to push for greater spending for national security,” he said.

He explained that the United States needs more F-22’s, C-17’s and new tankers than the Department of Defense is willing to push Congress for. Meanwhile the Chinese Air Force is applauding the limitation on F-22 production, while it continues to increase its SU-30MK fleet.

“The real issue today is whether we should devote all our effort and resources to a nebulous terrorist threat, or should we have some concern about a growing Chinese capability, a resurgent Russian military, an unpredictable Iranian nuclear threat, and an irrational North Korea.”

Aircraft facts provided:

* In 1972 the average age of an Air Force aircraft was about eight years. Today it is 25.

* The Air Force’s number one procurement priority is a replacement tanker for the KC-135. The oldest KC-135 flying today was delivered in 1957.

* The oldest F-15 flying today was delivered in March of 1975 - more than 33 years ago. “Now they’re falling out of the sky from fatigue.”

Financial facts provided: The DoD budget request amounts to 3.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Compare this with:

* The Vietnam war — 9 percent.

* The Reagan buildup — 6 percent.

* The Korean War — 14 percent.

* WWII — almost 40 percent.

* The year prior to the start of WWII — 1.7 percent.

Thus we are at the lowest percentage of GDP since Pearl Harbor.

General Dunn describes it this way:

* “Like Billy Mitchell, both Secretary Wynne and General Moseley have been outspoken in pointing out the Air Force needs to recapitalize and modernize the fleet.”

* “Pilots are now flying aircraft their fathers and grandfathers flew. Airplanes are breaking in half in-flight. More airplanes have been grounded with age-related maintenance problems than ever before.”

* “Secretary Gates has accused the Air Force (and all the Services) of planning for the next war, but that is what you have to do with air forces because you cannot produce the aircraft needed when you need them. History is replete with lessons of air forces that failed because they did not plan ahead. Like Billy Mitchell, America should heed the message of Secretary Wynne and General Moseley.”

It appears that, when Defense Secretary Gates fired the “top guys,” he fired the messengers.

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The content of Crosshairs - Military Matters in Review may be copied or retransmitted for information purposes, but may not be used for any commercial purpose without my written permission. Please include this notice and credit the source as Crosshairs - Military Matters in Review by Fred Edwards.
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Fred Edwards is a military columnist and journalist. He has contributed articles to more than two dozen periodicals and has written six books. His most recent are The Buffie Brigade and The Bridges of Vietnam: From the Journals of a U.S. Marine Intelligence Officer.

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