MITRE - Y2K - C4I Applications Require Special Care

The following Y2K material has been kept available by MITRE for historical purposes only and has not been updated unless noted.

Why C4I Applications Require Special Care

Factors That Contribute to Make the C4I Y2K Problem Special
High reliability command and control systems have very stringent test and integration elements. For example, fully testing a radar system involves the efforts of many groups, including pilots, to fly aircraft past the radars. Should any element encounter difficulties during testing, then all groups must be involved in a repeat of the tests. This is why, depending on the application, we have estimated that the total (find, change, test, and field) costs may range from $1.02 to $8.52 per executable line of code in the entire application, not just the date-related code, with the cost range dependent on the type of application.

Many applications run in remote, unstaffed locations. Just physically accessing the systems in which these applications reside will be a major effort in its own right.

More systems are implemented in highly specialized embedded computers. Significant extra care and effort are required to properly update such systems.

Lots of applications have some old and unusual compilers. Would you believe JOVIAL? CMS2? and, of course, assembly code? Further, portions of the "history" of these compilers and the applications developed using them may be lost.

Information Systems in Tactical/Strategic Systems
DOD is integrating several systems into a larger whole, encompassing both standard information systems in tactical/strategic systems; thus we are working with a "System of Systems." The interdependencies of organizations using C4I systems through rapid data exchanges and multiple interfaces will certainly lead to scheduling, testing, and coordination problems. In many cases, testing must follow mission threads, or scenarios, and cannot rely on an approach of "going down a checklist" of hierarchical systems in an organization.

For further information directly related to Year 2000 issues, please contact Year2000@mitre.org

This page is provided and maintained by Janet Fredrickson
Last modified: Thursday, 14-Feb-2008 09:21:03 EST