Lack of focus on U.S. nukes 'extreme'

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- An alleged lack of attention given to the U.S. nuclear arsenal "has been more pronounced than realized and too extreme to be acceptable," a defense review said.

A report by the Defense Science Board, an advisory panel at the U.S. Department of Defense, examined the issues behind a 1,400-mile flight last August over the United States by a B-52 bomber loaded with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.

"No one knew where (the missiles) were, or even missed them, for over 36 hours," said U.S. Sen. Carl M. Levin, D-Mich. "This entire episode really is a wake-up call."

"The decline in (the Defense Department's) focus has been more pronounced than realized and too extreme to be acceptable," the report released Monday by the review board chairman, retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Larry D. Welch, said.

The Welch panel said that task of watching over the U.S. nuclear arsenal used to be given to high-level military officials and senior civilians during the Cold War but now mid-level officers manage the program, The Washington Post said Wednesday.

The task force panel found the mission of the B-52 bomber force doesn't focus on the nuclear mission because it's viewed by military officers as a "not the highly promising opportunity of the past era."