The Defense Science Board Permanent Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Surety. Report on the Unauthorized Movement of Nuclear Weapons (Revised)

Abstract : The Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Surety was tasked by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD [AT&L]) and the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command to conduct an independent investigation of the unauthorized transfer of nuclear warheads between Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, and Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana on 30 August 2007. The task is to identify root and systemic causes and provide recommendations to help strengthen DoD nuclear surety programs and practices. This report addresses the issues most directly related to the strategic nuclear forces. Further work will be done and reported separately early in 2008 by the Task Force to address any relevant tactical nuclear force issues that are different from the strategic forces issues. Beginning in Section II, this report addresses three related sets of surety issues: (1) Procedures and Processes (2) Nuclear Enterprise Focus (3) Nuclear Enterprise Environment.