Yeah, really outdated.
Posted on 04/27/2014 5:20:47 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Report: Aging equipment, faulty phones at missile command
By Kyle Balluck - 04/27/14 08:00 PM EDT
Crews at a U.S. nuclear missile control center must deal with aging equipment and faulty telephones, according to a report on “60 Minutes.”
Correspondent Lesley Stahl visited the underground ICBM complex surrounding F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo., where she found missileers have trouble hearing what is being said on their phones. Computers there are so “ancient” they use floppy disks, according to the report, broadcast Sunday night.
Former missileers contacted the program about problems with analog phone lines.
“They’re awful,” one said. “You can’t hear the other person on the other end of the line. Sometimes you can’t dial out, which makes it very difficult if you’re trying to do your job.”
While the underground control centers are equipped with other, highly secure systems that would receive launch orders, “60 Minutes” reported, crews use their phones for many day-to-day tasks involving the maintenance and security of the weapons.
Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, who took command of the missile corps in December, told Stahl the Air Force was “looking at upgrading” the phones “in the next few years.”
Weinstein also said that cyber engineers analyzed the computer system a few years ago and concluded it was “extremely safe and extremely secure” from computer hackers, in part because it is so old and not connected to the Internet.
According to the report, the Air Force allowed the tour to counter bad press from drug and cheating scandals in North Dakota and Montana missile facilities.
Weinstein said he is addressing recent troubles and working to improve morale.
“We use these weapons every single day protecting our nation,” Weinstein said. “Deterrence has a value. It has a value for our nation; it has a value for our allies.”
What are they doing with floppy disks?
If Obama knew of this, he'd be outraged...
That they have computers.
Yeah, really outdated.
OHH how cute Mission Command I play that I was in jr high school in 1982 LOL!
Tin foil hat time.
Any time CBS shows up, there is usually a hidden reason.
Are they laying the ground work for an ‘accidental’ launch due to faulty equipment ?
Let’s just say everthing was in working order and up to date. Does anyone really think the current CiC would authorize their use, even if the situation demanded it?
And this, “we’re safe because the computers are ancient relics and aren’t connected to the Internet,” is BS. I suspect it is more like, “we’re safe because our ancient relics CAN’T be connected to the Internet.” Few, if any, computers from the 1960s have Internet capabilities.
And, the most modern computer available today would be just as safe if not connected to the Internet. Probably more safe is it would be much more reliable and less subject to breakdown.
Bottom line is more like, “We, for whatever reason(s) have not kept up with the latest technology.”
Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, who took command of the missile corps in December, told Stahl the Air Force was “looking at upgrading” the phones “in the next few years.”
If the phones NEED upgrading, then upgrade them. While you’re at it, please make sure that the Bomb Threat Telephone Checklists are placed in building that actually have phones. I had a good chuckle at that one.
Weinstein also said that cyber engineers analyzed the computer system a few years ago and concluded it was “extremely safe and extremely secure” from computer hackers, in part because it is so old and not connected to the Internet.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’ve handled several pieces of aircraft test equipment that used 3.5 floppies and drives. I know it’s older than 2000-late, but it works fine.
At least it wasn’t a cassette tape drive.
Man, that was the livin’ end, back in the day. So hi-tech.
Sequential access FTW!
Great! So to “fix” it, they’ll put our weapons control on the internet.
I’m sure that NORAD will get right on the problem and set up a Google Cloud Platform account.
Yeah, The UN should have a majority vote before we can authorize any nuclear strikes. Online, of course. It'll be quick.
The crushing disaster, I mean.
Maybe DC goons can sell some of that land the BLM owns out west - you know that land that’s bigger than France, England and Spain together... Then they can take the money, pay off the debt and buy some new computers for these guys.
Well, unless the purpose of the DC goons is to destroy the United States...
Why will it take "the next few years" to upgrade something as basic as the phone system? It's not like we're talking about some exotic new technology that would need to be developed.
Faulty phone lines is bad. Analog phones and old, non-internet-compatible computers is probably good, for security.
But the bottomline -- and something which Conservatives should use in the broad fight against Big Government -- is that government mismanages money to an alarming degree. The levels of waste, fraud and abuse are staggering. The DOD budget is hundreds of billions of dollars, and has been that high for decades -- and they use floppy disks and analog phone lines!!
WHERE'D THE MONEY GO????????
Friends, cronies and people who could "do favors" got the money. Much of the federal budget is just intended for bribery and jobs programs.
Health and Human Services? Education? Agriculture? Energy? All the rest? I say the federal budget should be cut in half as a first step. Then, we can see how much more it can be cut. And not over 10 years. I'd cut it in half over 2 years. Take the axe and start swinging. Everywhere.
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