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Software Bug Halts F-22 Flight

mgh02114 writes "The new US stealth fighter, the F-22 Raptor, was deployed for the first time to Asia earlier this month. On Feb. 11, twelve Raptors flying from Hawaii to Japan were forced to turn back when a software glitch crashed all of the F-22s' on-board computers as they crossed the international date line. The delay in arrival in Japan was previously reported, with rumors of problems with the software. CNN television, however, this morning reported that every fighter completely lost all navigation and communications when they crossed the international date line. They reportedly had to turn around and follow their tankers by visual contact back to Hawaii. According to the CNN story, if they had not been with their tankers, or the weather had been bad, this would have been serious. CNN has not put up anything on their website yet." The Peoples Daily of China reported on Feb. 17 that two Raptors had landed on Okinawa.

16 of 579 comments (clear)

  1. crash narrowly averted by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    CNN television, however, this morning reported that every fighter completely lost all navigation and communications when they crossed the international date line.

    I've heard of a software glitch causing a crash before, but this is ridiculous.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  2. Don't worry by Realistic_Dragon · · Score: 4, Funny

    We will happily sell y'all Eurofighters. Half the price, twice the bombs... and who the hell do you need stealth to fight anyway? Expecting the France to try and invasion any day now or something?

    --
    Beep beep.
  3. Source code... by alexhs · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's the real reason why they don't want to give source code to foreign armies... They don't want to be covered in shame :)

    --
    I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of killer sig, which this margin is too narrow to contain.
  4. Were they running Windows? by pestilence669 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I just want to know if this is in any way connected to the nuclear subs that lost navigation after they switched to Microsoft Windows based software. Generally, when this kind of thing happens, some external vendor is to blame.

  5. Ironically by mbrod · · Score: 5, Funny
    A few days ago reading up on good C++ coding techniques I came across Stroustrup's (creator of C++) page citing the coding rules used when working on the Joint Strike Fighter. Reading through the various rules used, this one caught my attention:

    AV Rule 25 (MISRA Rule 127)
    The time handling functions of library <time.h> shall not be used.

    I got to thinking if we had any decent alternatives (at least in C++). And yes there are alternatives and all of them looked equally bad to me. Looks like the F22 guys might have had the same problem finding and using a robust fault tolerant time library.

  6. Re:first post to say.. by alx5000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, but it seems they turned Aero off..

    --
    My 0.02 cents
  7. So... by WaZiX · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, when is Service Pack 1 coming out?

  8. Actual dialog message... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You are flying to Japan, Cancel or Allow?

  9. Re:I would not want to be him. by Simon+Garlick · · Score: 4, Funny

    Someone is going to get fired for this.

    Welcome to defense contracting, you must be new here.

  10. Microsoft? by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Funny

    every fighter completely lost all navigation and communications when they crossed the international date line.
    Where do you want to go today?

  11. Re:Real redundancy by 0123456 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "NASA do not fly the space shuttle during 31 Dec -> 1 Jan"

    But they fly over the international date-line every 90 minutes or so with no problems :).

  12. I told them... by guruevi · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...not to run Windows on those machines. They HAD to upgrade to Vista because of all the cool 'features' the pilots would like to see. First we had to put more ram in and an extra video card, now this... I'm telling ya, next time Microsoft gives them a better deal because they're switching to Linux, they shouldn't accept.

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  13. Re:Overflow by El+Torico · · Score: 5, Funny

    How do you really feel about Rockwell Collins?

    --
    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is usually crucified.
  14. Re:Real redundancy by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 4, Funny

    You're saying that because I can see the moon, people who've walked on the moon should have been killed?

    Yes. I hate those guys.

    --
    -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
  15. Winning Tactic by R_Ramjet · · Score: 5, Funny

    The F-15's should have headed towards the international date line....

  16. they are very confident by Tharkban · · Score: 5, Funny

    You missed a point in that story.
    NASA is extremely careful with its software.
    They don't fly from Dec 31 to Jan 1 because they know exactly what would happen.

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    Tharkban (It is a signature after all)