Gates tells Peterson airmen he's stepping up nuke security

Air Force Space Command is stepping up security on its nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles in the wake of lapses that led to the firing of the service's top two leaders.

New procedures include no-notice inspections at missile sites and revamped checklists for crews to ensure the U.S.'s most destructive weapons are properly secured, commanders said Tuesday after a speech at Peterson Air Force Base by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Gates, who is delivering the message at three major Air Force bases this week, including Peterson, told about 500 airmen their leaders had lost track of key responsibilities in failing to secure the nation's nuclear arsenal.

Gates fired Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and the service's chief of staff, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, last week after an investigation blamed leaders for the mishandling of one nuclear cruise missile and mistakenly shipping ICBM parts to Taiwan.

"There is no room for error in this mission nor is there, unfortunately, any room for second chances," Gates told local Air Force leaders.

A speech by Gates at The Broadmoor hotel last month revealed a rift at the Pentagon between those who want to spend cash on advanced weapons and those, including Gates, who want more focus and money spent on the Iraq and Afghan wars. Some have speculated the rift contributed to the firings.

"There's been no shortage of speculation on why I made these changes in leadership," Gates said. "And, in particular, whether there were any reasons beyond those that I cited last week - specifically, the leadership failures associated with the control of nuclear weapons and equipment."

Gates said Tuesday nuclear security, not policy conflicts, led to the firings.

"Our policy is clear: We will ensure the complete physical control of nuclear weapons, and we will properly handle their associated components at all times," Gates said. "It is a tremendous responsibility - one we must not and will never take lightly."

Neither of the incidents that led to the firings was tied to Space Command, but the fallout from them quickly spread to every unit that handles nuclear weapons.

Brig. Gen. John Hyten, Space Command's director of requirements, said before the firings workers at Peterson were closely reviewing how the command handles its 500 Minuteman III missiles housed in underground silos in Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota.

Leaders say the Air Force lost some of the polish on its weapons security when it folded Strategic Air Command in 1992 and divided responsibility for the weapons among other units. Air Force Space Command got the ICBMs and other commands got nuclear bombs and cruise missiles.

Many of the changes to make the missiles more secure are a throwback to the days of Strategic Air Command, especially the no-notice inspections. Another change places "ownership" of the weapons on the units that control them. That means leaders at lower ranks will have more personal responsibility over keeping the missiles secure.

Col. John Stocker, the command's inspector general, said the firings by Gates sent a strong message to young airmen about the importance of accountability.

"They've always known that, but now is the first time they saw that," he said. "The mistakes that can be made with nuclear weapons can be catastrophic to our service and our nation."