The Defense Department conceivably might have to start up a chip production line because microprocessors in missiles no longer perform date calculations properly, according to Robert Molter, computer scientist, information technology directorate, command, control, communications and intelligence, Department of Defense. He emphasizes that, while the military has not found such faulty chips, it is checking all systems. Molter, who is also chairman of the Defense Department's year 2000 working group and a member of the interagency year 2000 committee, states that the most difficult part of the problem is solving the interconnections between systems. Tremendous ramifications exist concerning the corruption of data bases, he contends, adding that the department needs to work on strategies to isolate or eliminate problem areas. Safety concerns also exist.
Molter notes that weapons systems and systems that affect safety are receiving priority treatment.
There is not a wealth of tools to address the year 2000 problem for most software languages. Molter allows that languages specifically are a problem for the department. He adds that Ada is one language that is not a big concern. If programmers use the date typing within Ada correctly, the change of century will not pose a problem. The code still has to be checked, though, Molter admits.