Air Force chiefs outsted after nuclear-tipped missiles fly across US

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates ousted the US Air Force’s top military and civilian leaders today, holding them to account in a historic Pentagon shake-up after nuclear missile warhead fuses were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan.

Mr Gates announced at a news conference that he had accepted the resignations of Air Force Chief of Staff General Michael Moseley and Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne – a highly unusual double firing.