How A Simple Bug Paralyzed A US Warship And A US Fighter Jet
Divide by Zero error and a dateline jump caused two of the most iconic computer bugs in US military history
Computers have become part and parcel of our day to day activities. They are entirely harmless when they handle our home’s light, control our television, and Help us communicate. Computers are now being used widely in the defense sector. A simple mistake due to a computer error could cause a catastrophe. May it be a multi-million brand new aircraft or a Smart ship.
What Happens When You Jump Date:
The US Air force wanted to upgrade its fighter planes and ordered F22 fighter jets from Lockheed. These F22 were state of the art design with the most sophisticated computer control system. Each one cost US taxpayers 300 million dollars. For a war game, 6 of the new F22’s took a 15-hour journey from a US airbase in Hawai to Kadena airbase in Okinawa, Japan. The F22s had a tanker aircraft accompany them on the trip. All went fine until the airplanes crossed the international dateline. The international dateline is an imaginary line…
