One of our bombs is missing

First, it's not a chaff "bomb." It's a chaff "stick." It doesn't fire out metal shrapnel, it fires out tiny aluminum strips (think - I wouldn't want to enhale that or hmmm better wash my hands before eating). The amount of "explosives" used to propel the chaff from the stick is negligable. Probably smaller than a .38 cal pistol cartridge. It is true that the cartridge containing the explosive charge is electrically initiated and that explosive safety tells us not to use any electronic device within 25' of electrically initiated explosives. I can tell you from personal experience that a cell phone will not set it off. I bust people all the time when they're working and their cell phone in their pocket rings! People normally just turn their ringer off so they don't get caught.

Also missing? We process thousands of these things daily. Inventory "adjustments" are not uncommon. Missing probably means it was expended and not accounted for.

There really is no story here. It's amazing to me that you made one though. =)

P.S. sorry for the spelling - I'm in a rush.

AT adds: OK, you won't mind holding it in your mouth while we detonate it then?

I first heard about this earlier in the week on the local radio, and the question that is still haunting me is...

"What does that damn thing look like?!"

Everyone is saying "If you see it, don't approach it", that's like saying "If you see my mother, can you tell her I'll be round for roast on Sunday", f***ing useless without a photo or accurate description!

So would someone please like to enlighten us civvies before we approach the wrong thing?

Flyboys deserve a good chaffing over that chaff stick stuck in the chaff.
Once you're done there, drop an F bomb and give them a good chafing!
Great flying pink pigs on a wing!-(

Someone beat me to the comment. Although, some of the larger chaff ejectors us a slightly larger charge to "shoot" the chaff away from the aircraft (and my information is rather dated, coming from the F-4 era), I would surmise that the cartridge they mean is still no more dangerous than your average holiday M-80 firecracker. Which still means you could lose all feeling in your fingers if you are Darwinian enough to hold it tight whilst you set one off...

By the way, in THEORY (read: you're on your own if you try it) if you want to make a dandy radar jammer to stop the fuzz from annoying you for speeding, spray-glueing lots of chaff to a front-facing speaker behind the grill of your car and playing Led Zepplin really loud should confuse the buggers. The alternating front - back movement should either cause their radar to fail to get a solid reading (can't choose between the fast and slow speeds), or to read a ridiculously high / impossible speed (gives up and takes the fastest speed). The best part is, since it is not a radar emitter it should not be illegal (although your neighbors will likely complain).

Extra Note: This technique will do bugger-all against Laser detectors. There are techniques to fool them, too - but they require that the officer be kindly enough to point his toy directly at your jamming device.

Whatever country you're in, please drive safely!

AT: stop making pissy comments; pedantic posters can look stupid all by themselves (this one included)
Duncan

AT adds: Shan't.

Wasn't the title supposed to be - "One of our boobs is missing"...

It is interesting to note that an article posted on the the Naval Safety Center website calls the dispensers "An Uncontrolled Bomb" and reports that 206 dispensers have been inadvertently dropped. The article also mentioned that they weigh 10lbs unloaded and 25.5 lbs loaded.