From slash.dot:
“The new US stealth fighter, the F-22 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.”
Hasn’t been confirmed yet, so it mayn’t be true, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Ages ago a software change for the FA-18 added some new capability to the APG-65 radar and AIM-7 Sparrow missile. Worked 4.0 out on the Pacific test ranges, which run east/west.
Failed miserably on the East Coast, whose ranges ran north/south. Missiles went stupid. Rapidly fixed once identfied, nobbut a single line of mangled code.
Funny thing about software: Imagine if a single mis-spelled word made “War and Peace” unreadable.
Remember though: “Code is poetry.”
Snake,
Don’t let BillC get to ya. He got all over me once or twice for being critical of Navy football and CanoeU. He even called me a name that started with “A”, can you believe it? HA…. Let him live in his own box. Though I think he’s harmless, like a lotta fixed wing guys he thinks we’re REALLY effective at CAS (not especially 35 years ago). He’s right about the term gomers as it applies to ‘Nam, I can vouch for it from my own recollections listening to senior guys in my first squadron. Try to stay away from that kinda thing but I have used rag or towel head nouns once or twice in the last decade. Personally, I found it humourous what the young Marines at the battle of Fallujah were calling this centuries enemies- Muhjjj-M.F.s!
As “bad” as I can be sometimes, I thought the Gomer Pyle thing would be better received….
Da point- Beyond the bugs and the sweat there must have been at least some “funny” (post op naturally) stuff. All the folks I ever met from specops late in my career (didn’t meet many in my blue days) like frogmen, recon, rangers, night stalkers and Ft. Bragg types all had wonderful and very snarky type tales to tell. Think on it.
b2
So do tell……..now that you have my attention. Snake Eater….you been holding out on (some of) us (too slow to catch on)? Spec ops??
I’m not going to get Vista till Service Pack 1 comes out….so I can save time installing it. Anbody have it?
B-2, I was in country from 67 to 68… a very short but intense time at the tip of the spear. During that year I had the singular honor of serving with and sometimes leading Montagnards, Nungs(ethnic Chinese), Laos, Cambodians,Aussies( AATTV), a Guaminian( my team sargent, there’s a story) a Mexican-American (my XO) and Anglos of various flavors. To us the locals weren’t gomers, dinks or rat eating commies (although the Montagnards did scarf an occcasional rat or two.. super protein… and tastes like chicken I’m told)…and they certainaly weren’t commies, they were our troops… “our little brown brothers” and they earned and had our loyalty and respect.
Re my comment #49 above…it was not intended as snark but as a statement of fact. We conducted company size long range reconnaisance operations deep in indian country…classified by the brass hats, in their infinite wisdom, as a non-american irregular unit, our priority for CAS from the Zoomies and you guys was therefore lower than whale sh*t. This was fine by us…experience had taught us that if you couldn’t make eye contact with the door gunner of a Huey( usually our own organic air assets) to coordinate CAS, you didn’t want it, it was just to dangerous. The fast movers(thats Jets LEX-BABES) were just that too fast to provide effective and reasonably safe CAS.
Re. Snarky tales, I guess I have a few…it was only a year after all not a whole twenty thing career(I was not a lifer)…there’s no exciting derring-do al la Lex’s Rythms… but if I you include certain rest and rehablitation (R & R)activities as a young un-married officer availing himself of the sporting houses of South East Asia… the list expands…( Just kidding… LEX-BABES…this is a family blog after all)… Best
PS, Machelle, I wasn’t holding out and in all fairness to you my occasional cryptic comments were intended for those who had worn the uniform and knew the lingo.
Snake,
re- “…it was just too dangerous”
Heard it time and again in the past. While I think we’ve (go fasters) gotten better at it, especially the last 5 years or so (practice makes perfect, er, better), I think fixed wing CAS is still looked at as a “last resort” kinda thing, in close I mean. Sledgehammer vs a tack hammer sort of.
re your service during those times- heartfelt BZ
Snake,
Had a good friend go down in Union II in may of ’67. He’s still around, I believe. Lost a couple inches of his right arm, though, but got his citizenship out of it. I’ve been trying to track him down these last few. His Gunny wants to say hello while he still can. He’s the one put him on the chopper and sent him out of harm’s way that day.
Lots of stories. Some are good to tell. Some are best saved for later.
Respects,
Snake, “cryptic” is definitely a good word to describe your style around here. Would still love to see your bio on the Flight Deck though – would even settle for the abridged version!
And if, by chance, you have any stories you judge “suitable” (or maybe even some not so suitable) to share, I’ll be here. Hey, where else would I be??
BTW, meant to say – I’m a (fairly) fast learner and I must say, I have definitely learned a lot around here