What is the difference between a nuclear weapon incident and a nuclear weapon accident?
A nuclear weapon accident is an unexpected event involving nuclear weapons that results in any of the following: an accidental or unauthorized launching, firing, or use by U.S. forces or U.S.-supported Allied forces of a nuclear-capable weapon system; an accidental, unauthorized or unexplained nuclear detonation; a non-nuclear detonation or burning of a nuclear weapon; radioactive contamination; a jettisoning of a nuclear weapon or nuclear component; or a public hazard whether actual or perceived. In contrast, a nuclear weapon incident is an unexpected event involving a nuclear weapon, facility, or component that does not constitute a nuclear weapons accident but does involve any of the following: an increase in the possibility of an explosion or radioactive contamination; errors committed in the assembly, testing, loading or transportation of equipment and/or the malfunctioning of equipment and material that could lead to an unintentional operation of all or part of the weapon arming
