junkman9096 wrote:
At the time they were considered a (very) small step below nuclear weapons.
If I remember the nomenclature correctly, it was a "Class A" resource, requiring armed guards while on the ground, regardless of cargo.
Few enthusiasts realize that...that the heavy airlift capability provided by the relatively few C-5s warranted that kind of protection.
Again, modern enthusiasts don't appreciate the kind of security provided back in the day...and this was in the 1980s-90s....not just the red scare days of the 50s or during periods of increased tensions like the 1961 Berlin (wall) Crisis or Cuban Missile Crisis.