Just the way a disruption in the supply of oil caused a global recession, a disruption in the flow of information, especially if it is critically important information, might similarly disrupt global economic activity and produce a recession. At this rate, Defense's mission-critical systems won't be completely fixed until 2009. In an August 1997 operational exercise, the Global Command Control System failed testing when the date was rolled over to the year 2000. GCCS is deployed at 700 sites worldwide and is used to generate a common operating picture of the battlefield for planning, executing, and managing military operations. The U.S., and its allies would be unable to orchestrate a Desert Storm-type engagement in the year 2000 if the problem is not corrected.
Serious problems face the private sector, too.
We have the technology to fix or replace every computer and software program affected by Y2K, though it will be expensive. Nor are they impressing the American public and foreign governments with the urgency of this crisis. The stakes are too high for such partisan political games. With the Clinton-Gore Administration AWOL, Congress must urgently fill this leadership vacuum. Increase defense funding to speed up compliance.