While sifting through thousands of different pages of documents, I found references to some previously, never-before-released (that I saw) documents about nuclear accidents.

I have always been fascinated by the topic, ever since I saw the 1996 film Broken Arrow.  Yes, I know, a bit cheesy, but I was 15 when it came out – and I was just about to start The Black Vault. I was fascinated to learn, that Broken Arrow was a real term, and in fact, nuclear accidents have plagued American history. So,  when I saw these documents existed, I had to get them!

It took quite a few years – and my FOIA requests bounced around from a few offices. I had to refile to the NNSA in 2015, and in September of 2016, finally received them, declassified.

Declassified Documents

 FOIA Response Letter, Dated September 15, 2016 [3 Pages, 1.1MB]

 History of Accidents Involving Nuclear Materials, May 2, 1971 [5 Pages, 1.8MB]

 Summary of Air Force Nuclear Accidents, February 6, 1968 [4 Pages, 2.2MB]

 History of Accidents Involving Nuclear Materials, May 25, 1966 [8 Pages, 19.9MB]

The post Summaries of Nuclear Weapon and Material Accidents – Department of Energy – National Nuclear Security Administration first appeared on The Black Vault.

A “dull sword” is an Air Force reporting term that marks reports of minor incidents involving nuclear weapons, components or systems, or which could impair their deployment. This could include actions involving vehicles capable of carrying nuclear weapons but with no nuclear weapons on board at the time of the accident.

Declassified Documents

 DoD Instruction 7730.12, “Notification Procedures for Accidents and Significant Incidents Involving Nuclear Weapons, Reactors and Radioactive Materials” [7 Pages, 1.16mb]

 Dull Sword Incidents, 1981, 320th Bombardment Wing History [8 Pages, 308kb]

 Reporting Nuclear Safety Deficiencies (Dull Swords) on the F-16 Aircraft [101 Pages, 12.55mb]

The post Dull Sword Incidents first appeared on The Black Vault.