nuclear weapons bunker

Germany / Rheinland-Pfalz / Mullenbach /
 military, nuclear weapons/warheads storage
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As can be seen by the double fenced area, this inner ring is especially guarded because of its nuclear content. This area is guarded by US military.

The B61 nuclear weapons are maintained by the 702 US Munitions Support Squadron MUNSS), with approx. 110 men personnel. The B61 nuclear bombs in Europe are stored in what is known as the Weapon Storage and Security System (WS3), a nuclear weapons storage capability unique to the European theater. This system enables the weapons to be stored underground in Weapons Storage Vaults (WSV) inside the individual Protective Aircraft Shelters (PAS) on each base rather than in igloos in a centralized Weapons Storage Area (WSA).

Anno September 2015, preparation is underway by the U.S. to station B61-12 nuclear bombs in Büchel. The B61-12 is an upgraded version of weapons that have been in the U.S. arsenal for decades, developed under what is called the Life Extension Program. The National Nuclear Safety Administration said in July that the upgrade included a new tail-kit assembly and would improve the bomb's reliability and security.

Büchel has 11 WSVs with a maximum capacity of 44 (so there are 20 nuclear bombs at the base in underground WSVs inside 11 shelters).
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Coordinates:   50°12'2"N   7°4'25"E
This article was last modified 10 years ago