For The First Time In 26 Years, US To Put Nuclear Bombers On 24 Hour Alert

Jon Alternative Media, Blogosphere, Energy, Geopolitics, Government

The unexpected decision by President Trump to amend an emergency Sept 11 order signed by George W Bush, allowing the Air Force to recall up to 1,000 retired air force pilots to address what the Pentagon has decribed as “an acute shortage of pilots” caught us by surprise. After all, this was the first time we have heard of this particular labor shortage – perhaps there was more to this executive order than meets the eye. Indeed, a just released report may help explain the reasoning behind this presidential decision.
According to Defense One, the US Air Force is preparing to put nuclear-armed bombers back on 24-hour ready alert, a status not seen since the Cold War ended in 1991.
That means the long-dormant concrete pads at the ends of Barksdale Air Force Base’s 11,000-foot runway – dubbed the ‘Christmas tree’ for their angular markings – could once again find several B-52s parked on them, laden with nuclear weapons and set to take off at a moment’s notice.

This post was published at Zero Hedge on Oct 22, 2017.