MILNET: U.S. Navy Nuclear Accident Definitions

The U.S. Navy has created codenames for different levels of nuclear accidents/incidents, based upon factors such as risk to the public, risk of causing nuclear hostility, etc. We believe this list of codenames is also used by all in DoD...certainly the term "Broken Arrow" had the exact same meaning as used by U.S. Air Force commanders in the 1960s and 1970s, and of course the term was popularized by the movie starring John Travolta and Christian Slater of the same title.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEFINITION OF AN ACCIDENT

An "accident involving nuclear weapons" is defined as

An unexpected event involving nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons components that results in any of the following:

Accidental or unauthorized launching, firing, or use, by U.S. forces or supported allied forces, of a nuclear-capable weapon system which could create the risk of an outbreak of war.
Nuclear detonation.
Non-nuclear detonation or burning of a nuclear weapon or radioactive weapon component, including fully assembled nuclear weapon, an unassembled nuclear weapon, or a radioactive nuclear weapon component.
Radioactive contamination
Seizure, theft, or loss of a nuclear weapon component, including jettisoning.
Public hazard, actual or implied

NUCFLASH

Any accidental or unauthorized incident involving a possible detonation of a nuclear weapon by U.S. Forces which could create the risk of nuclear war between the U.S. and the USSR.

BROKEN ARROW

The accidental or unauthorized detonation, or possible detonation of a nuclear weapon (other than war risk);
Non-nuclear detonation or burning of a nuclear weapon;
Radioactive contamination
Seizure, theft, or loss of a nuclear weapon or component (including jettisoning);
Public hazard, actual or implied.

BENT SPEAR

Any nuclear weapons significant incidents other than nuclear weapons accidents or war risk detonations, actual or possible.

DULL SWORD
Any nuclear weapon incident other than significant incidents.

FADED GIANT

Any nuclear reactor or radiological accidents involving equipment used in connection with naval nuclear reactors or other naval nuclear energy devices while such equipment is under the custody of the Navy.

U.S. Department of the Navy,
Chief of Naval Operations, 15 July 1978

milnet@milnet.com

NUCFLASH	Any accidental or unauthorized incident involving a possible detonation of a nuclear weapon by U.S. Forces which could create the risk of nuclear war between the U.S. and the USSR.
BROKEN ARROW	The accidental or unauthorized detonation, or possible detonation of a nuclear weapon (other than war risk); Non-nuclear detonation or burning of a nuclear weapon; Radioactive contamination Seizure, theft, or loss of a nuclear weapon or component (including jettisoning); Public hazard, actual or implied.
BENT SPEAR	Any nuclear weapons significant incidents other than nuclear weapons accidents or war risk detonations, actual or possible.
DULL SWORD	Any nuclear weapon incident other than significant incidents.
FADED GIANT	Any nuclear reactor or radiological accidents involving equipment used in connection with naval nuclear reactors or other naval nuclear energy devices while such equipment is under the custody of the Navy.
	U.S. Department of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, 15 July 1978