Weapons Storage and Security System

Weapons Storage and Security System vault in raised position holding a B61 nuclear bomb. The vault is within a Protective Aircraft Shelter
General Roger Brady being shown a dummy nuclear weapon in a Weapons Storage and Security System at Volkel Air Base

Weapons Storage and Security System (WS3) is a system including electronic controls and vaults built into the floors of Protective Aircraft Shelters (PAS) on several NATO military airfields all over the world. These vaults are used for safe special weapons storage, typically of tactical B61 nuclear bombs. Historically the system was also called within NATO the Weapon Security and Survivability System (WS3)[1][2] or Weapons Survivability and Security System.[3]

  1. ^ Office of the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters (2008), Nuclear Matters: A Practical Guide - Appendix C, Department of Defense, archived from the original on 2009-01-16, retrieved 2009-05-23
  2. ^ Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Nuclear Matters, Nuclear Chronology, Department of Defense, archived from the original on 2009-01-09, retrieved 2008-06-11
  3. ^ "Weapons Storage and Security", Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 7 June 1988, HC Deb vol 134 c547W, retrieved 2009-08-07