Washington (CNN) US Strategic Command, the unified military force that controls the launch of nuclear weapons, tweeted an unusual New Year's Eve message on Monday featuring B-2 bombers dropping 30,000-pound conventional weapons at a test range. "#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball...if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger," the tweet from US Strategic Command's official account said. The post, later deleted, included a sizzle reel initially released earlier this year, showing a B-2 bomber dropping "a pair of conventional Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP) at a test range," the Pentagon said. A Strategic Command spokesperson, Navy Capt. Brook Dewalt, told CNN that the post is "part of our recap of command priorities" and is all about reassuring the American people that the US military is ready at all times, even on New Year's Eve.

Source: CNN December 31, 2018 23:37 UTC