My understanding is that many of the nuclear warhead sites and the early warning systems are dependent upon unstable computer programs. What will be the impact of Y2K upon those sites? Is it possible to determine if nuclear warheads will be held in check or will there be a mass deployment? With a computer breakdown I imagine that "hot buttons" to deploy bombs will malfunction but do those systems have a manual override for deployment if communications are down and panic arises within certain nuclear capable countries?

-- Ann Stanley (stanley@asde.com), June 07, 1998

Answers

Ann

Our strategic and early warning systems are NOT based upon unstable computer programs! I have been involved in designing and developing several of these systems, and the safegaurds ( and continuing maintenance ) of these systems are extensive. Many fail-safe steps have to executed before a weapon will launch. Likewise, all our early warning systems have man-in-the-loop controls, which causes all computer generated events to be verified by humans. You should know that all these systems have full off-site testbeds set up for them, so that maintenance and training can occur without affecting operational systems.

I, personally, am much more concerned with banking, stock exchange, and telecommunications systems failing - I doubt that there are full scale test systems for the stock exchanges or international banking money transfers. Of course, who knows what state the systems of other countries are in! ( Although it seems as if you give enough money to the DNC, you could get help in fixing them!! )

John

-- John Thyfault (john.thyfault@mci.com), June 10, 1998.

finally someone can answer that question and actually know what they are talking about.

-- duane peterson (danddp@ite.net), July 25, 1998.

Actually, I think the missile alert programs will work okay, and the radios and code programs will work okay, the launch safety programs will work okay, and the missile will start okay, but the cover plate on the silo will stick in the closed position, and the missile will have about a 5 foot flight into the roof.

Based on interviews with missile flight crews, being a former submariner myself, being in the middle of launch sequences before, etc.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 01, 1998.

OK, but will an ICBM arm itself in that five feet, or do we just get a conventional boom?

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), September 01, 1998.

They arm on the free-fall on the way down.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 02, 1998.