It's possibly the most heart-stopping fender bender ever posted to YouTube: An Air Force tractor trailer that may or may not be carrying a nuclear weapon rear-ended by a security vehicle.
Great Falls, Montana, resident Aaron Tedford videotaped the convoy of at least two police vehicles, a security forces truck, a Humvee and six security forces BearCat vehicles escorting a white tractor trailer through Great Falls when the minor accident happened hapened Monday afternoon. Tedford later wrote on Facebook that several helicopters were also flying overhead at the time.
The Air Force would not say what was inside the tractor trailer that was rear-ended, but Tedford believes it was a nuclear weapon. Malmstrom Air Force Base, which is located nearby Great Falls, is home to the 341st Missile Wing. Humvees and Bearcats from Malmstrom's 341st Security Forces Group often escort nuclear weapons when they are being transported.
In the video, one of the police vehicles sounded his siren and pulled over near Tedford, who later wrote online that the officer "was yelling and waving his hands that I can't record the video." A few seconds later, the tractor trailer braked suddenly as it passed by Tedford.
The BearCat following closely behind hit its brakes too late and bumped into the tractor trailer. All vehicles continued on their way at the end of the short video.
The 341st confirmed the accident in a statement sent to Air Force Times.
"At approximately 12:30 p.m. (MST) Monday, an Air Force security vehicle made contact with the hitch of an Air Force tractor trailer on 10th Avenue South in Great Falls, Montana, during a convoy," 341st spokeswoman 2nd Lt. Annabel Monroe said in an email. "Aside from paint damage on the tractor trailer's hitch and a small dent on the security vehicle bumper, there were no injuries, further damages or risk to the public's safety. The convoy and all vehicles continued on without affecting their mission."
"The 341st Missile Wing Safety Office and Air Force Global Strike Command are reviewing the incident," the statement concluded.
When asked what was inside the tractor trailer, Monroe said the wing does not discuss details about convoys as a security precaution.
Tedford posted the video on his personal Facebook page Monday evening, and his brother Paul also posted it on YouTube.
The video can be viewed below. (It contains profanities.)
Video credit: Aaron Tedford/ViralHog – Contact use@viralhog.com to use or license this video. EDS: This wording was what the people asked for for permission to use the video.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
