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As part of operation chrome dome, in 1966 a B-52 carrying 4 Mark 28 H-Bomb was flying above spain when it collided with a KC 135 tanker, two of the bombs had their conventional explosive explode, spreading radioactive material over several km².

In 1961 a B-52 also carrying (Mark 39) H-Bombs crashed, as many know one of the bomb nearly ignited, according to a 1969 report "one simple, dynamo-technology, low voltage switch stood between the United States and a major catastrophe".

Many people pointed out before that the bomb couldn't explode to its full explosive power, according to a later report 'The tritium reservoir used for fusion boosting was also full and had not been injected into the weapon primary. This would have resulted in a significantly reduced primary yield and would not have ignited the weapon's fusion secondary stage." So here it may be more realistic to assume that the bomb has a much lower yield (hundreds of tons to a few kT) but it's likely it would still emit significant radiations (since much of the radiation of a H bomb is caused by the primary yield), also could someone more knowledgable tell if this flaw could have happened on Mark 28 bombs, and if not could a similar incident with Mark 39 bomb happen at around the same time in spain?


Now what if the fate of the bombs are not only switched, but the bomb whose fissile material nearly ignited did go off. A large nuclear accident above the soil of an (nominal, spain wasn't in NATO at the time) ally would be completely different than one over american soil. What would be the reaction of spain?

The global situation in 1966 would also be different with more us involvment in vietnam and more nuclear parity between the two superpower. Could this event, the same year as the french withdrawal from the integrated command, make other countries decide to leave? I think it's a given operation chrome dome would be immediately terminated in this case. What would be the effect of all european NATO allies refusing american nukes on their soil?

What would be some of the political and geopolitical effect of this accident? Thanks for your answers.

Thanks for your answers.
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