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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 12:57 pm 
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http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/us/pentag ... index.html

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The U.S. is still using floppy disks to run its nuclear program

Want to launch a nuclear missile? You'll need a floppy disk.

That's according to a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found that the Pentagon was still using 1970s-era computing systems that require "eight-inch floppy disks."

Such disks were already becoming obsolete by the end of that decade, being edged out by smaller, non-floppy 3.5 to 5.25-inch disks, before being almost completely replaced by the CD in the late 90s.
Except in Washington that is. The GAO report says that U.S. government departments spend upwards of $60 billion a year on operating and maintaining out-of-date technologies.
That's three times the investment on modern IT systems.

The report says the Pentagon is planning to replace its floppy systems -- which currently coordinate intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), nuclear bombers and tanker support aircraft -- by the end of 2017.
Other departments were also put on notice to update their systems. The U.S. Treasury for example, still depends on assembly language code "initially used in the 1950s."
Bringing government departments into the 21st century has proven difficult across the board.
Megan Smith, the current U.S. Chief Technology Officer, told the New York Times in 2015 of the "culture shock" experienced by the tech-savvy Obama campaign when they took control of a White House still dependent on floppy disks and Blackberrys.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 1:17 pm 
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I am not surprised at this. Some Government Dept's have shit IT while other are top of the line.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 1:32 pm 
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Not sure what impotence has to do with ones ability to operate nuclear weapons, but whateves... :roll:

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 2:26 pm 
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It's not really an issue. Those computers systems were built during the time for the actual missiles were built, it's proprietary purpose built stuff. It's also not very complex and it's pretty robust. The floppy (very big floppy's) make it quite hard to (Actually impossible) to "hack" into the systems or do any other such mischief.

Is what is it.


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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 2:43 pm 
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SomeGuy wrote:
It's not really an issue. Those computers systems were built during the time for the actual missiles were built, it's proprietary purpose built stuff. It's also not very complex and it's pretty robust. The floppy (very big floppy's) make it quite hard to (Actually impossible) to "hack" into the systems or do any other such mischief.

Is what is it.


This is what I assumed.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 2:45 pm 
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Yea we should put our nuclear weapons on the icloud with Jennifer Lawrence's nudes. Good idea, #progress.


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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 2:48 pm 
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SomeGuy wrote:
It's not really an issue. Those computers systems were built during the time for the actual missiles were built, it's proprietary purpose built stuff. It's also not very complex and it's pretty robust. The floppy (very big floppy's) make it quite hard to (Actually impossible) to "hack" into the systems or do any other such mischief.

Is what is it.
Yup.

It's really hard to replace mission critical systems and when there is no real benefit to doing it they are mostly just maintained.

Imagine it like your toaster. The technology in there to get the job done is the same technology that could get it done 60 years ago. There isn't really a major reason to upgrade it. Now, imagine that toaster could kill every person on earth. There really isn't a reason to take that chance with "new technology".

Whoever still makes those floppy disks is making a lot of money though.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 2:50 pm 
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Thanks for the explanation guys.

Just sounds funny that our nuclear program is on floppy disks.

So at some point it will need to be upgraded tho, right? What will it be upgraded to?

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 3:03 pm 
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RFDC wrote:
So at some point it will need to be upgraded tho, right? What will it be upgraded to?
Technically it never needs to be replaced. You can get custom old hardware built if you have the money and they do. They'd "save money" by upgrading but I doubt cost cutting with nukes is a big priority.

I imagine that if they were to upgrade it though they'd change the system to be a command line(like DOS but better) program that uses usb hard drives instead of floppies to do pretty much the exact same thing. The technology would all have to be decades old to make sure that it is as stable as it could possibly be.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 5:10 pm 
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RFDC wrote:
Thanks for the explanation guys.

Just sounds funny that our nuclear program is on floppy disks.

So at some point it will need to be upgraded tho, right? What will it be upgraded to?


Its just a flash point that triggers a WTF response.

Floppies might be less vulnerable to electro-magnetic pulses than memory sticks.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:08 pm 
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Don't forget to enter 00000000 after you insert the floppy to launch armageddon:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013 ... -20-years/


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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:24 pm 
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Beebo wrote:
RFDC wrote:
Thanks for the explanation guys.

Just sounds funny that our nuclear program is on floppy disks.

So at some point it will need to be upgraded tho, right? What will it be upgraded to?


Its just a flash point that triggers a WTF response.

Floppies might be less vulnerable to electro-magnetic pulses than memory sticks.


EMP? Good point. But I'd imagine the silos and control centers are shielded with some heavy duty stuff. But asyou said depending on how basic those computers are they may not be as susceptible in the first place.

I couple well placed EMP strikes in the atmosphere could end most of our stuff. That's what the Soviets (and us) would lead with.


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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 10:59 pm 
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One of the new guys we hired at work is former AF LTCmdr from the missile defense wing- I'll try to get confirmation on the validity of the article.

In the commercial nuclear industry, we still hang onto proven antique systems as well. Analog reactor power gauges remain safe and accurate, if not maintenance-needy and hard for the aging workforce to read. We are upgrading one of our computer systems to one that will not operate on anything newer than Windows 7, good luck getting any support for an office full of XP machines...


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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 6:23 am 
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BTW, EMP would wipe out floppy disks. The data is stored magnetically and the surge would compromise it. That said I would imagine a silo and control bunker would be pretty well shielded, purposely or not.

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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 7:57 am 
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After careful consideration, sir, I've come to the conclusion that your new missile defense system sucks.

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