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Six U.S. Nuclear Warheads Still Missing After 'Broken Arrow' Accidents

Archived testimony later disclosed indicates the 1958 Tybee Island bomb was a complete weapon, contradicting earlier Air Force assurances.

Overview

  • New coverage tallies six unaccounted-for warheads across 32 documented U.S. nuclear mishaps known as Broken Arrow incidents.
  • In 1958, a B-47 jettisoned a Mark 15 into Wassaw Sound near Tybee Island after a mid-air collision, with extensive Navy searches failing to locate the weapon.
  • Documents released in 1994 from 1966 Congressional testimony state the Tybee device was intact despite prior public claims it was a dummy.
  • In 1966, one B-28 thermonuclear bomb lost over the Mediterranean remains missing, while three other bombs from the collision were recovered on land.
  • The articles note the U.S. stance that unfound weapons are unlikely to be recovered by foes, while quoting Jeffrey Lewis warning that Iran could reconstitute a nuclear program if its leadership survives.