Defense probing shipment mix-up to Taiwan
Published: March 25, 2008 at 6:08 PM
WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency mistakenly shipped non-nuclear nose cone fuses to Taiwan instead of the requested helicopter batteries, the Pentagon said.
Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne briefed news reporters about the incident, in which four non-nuclear nose cone assemblies were mistakenly sent to Taiwan.
Wynne said the four nose-cone assemblies were shipped in March 2005 from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming for storage at a Defense Logistics Agency warehouse at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. In 2006, the four fuses, now stored in canisters, were shipped to Taiwan to fill an order for helicopter batteries.
When Taiwan notified the U.S. government about the error last week, officials began to "acquire positive control of the components," he said.
"It is our understanding that the shipment was placed in storage upon receipt," Wynne said.
"The (Pentagon) has initiated an investigation to determine what happened and how," he said. "The investigation will determine the integrity of the shipping containers and their contents during the foreign military sales process."
President George Bush, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the Chinese government have been notified, he said.
Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne briefed news reporters about the incident, in which four non-nuclear nose cone assemblies were mistakenly sent to Taiwan.
Wynne said the four nose-cone assemblies were shipped in March 2005 from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming for storage at a Defense Logistics Agency warehouse at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. In 2006, the four fuses, now stored in canisters, were shipped to Taiwan to fill an order for helicopter batteries.
When Taiwan notified the U.S. government about the error last week, officials began to "acquire positive control of the components," he said.
"It is our understanding that the shipment was placed in storage upon receipt," Wynne said.
"The (Pentagon) has initiated an investigation to determine what happened and how," he said. "The investigation will determine the integrity of the shipping containers and their contents during the foreign military sales process."
President George Bush, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the Chinese government have been notified, he said.
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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