(Peter Stickney) wrote:
Mike Marron wrote:

Thanks for the explanation. What does "...isn't accountable" mean?

It means that it doesn't get counted as a bomber or strategic missile
launcher when totting up the numbers for (them) SALT and (now) START
compliance. Of course, that business as always a bit dodgy.
For examples, Tu-22Ms (Backfires) with the AAR probe were considered
as Strategic Bombers, but the same T-22M with the probe unbolted &
sitting in the back of the hangar wasn't. Or the Minuteman III ICBM
was considered to cary 5 warheads instead of 3, because somebody'd
made a short range launch of one carrying 5 instrument packages.

It's all very lawyerly.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I rest my case!

-Mike (a bomber by any other name...) Marron