Nellis says military aircraft will be Y2K compliant

Thursday, June 17, 1999 | 4:05 a.m.

Lt. Col. Paul Avella, manager of Y2K Flag, said no surprises have been found in the four-day exercise, which ended Thursday. Y2K Flag is a major military exercise intended to assess the Air Force's ability to fight and win in the 21st century.

For three years, the Defense Department has been preparing for any computer glitches that might be encountered at the turn of the century, Avella said Wednesday.

Various aircraft were tested on the sprawling Nellis Air Force Range to determine if their complex computer systems are Y2K compliant.

Avella said no surprises were found in the mix of aircraft tested. U-2 and E-8C "sensor" surveillance craft communicated successfully, and B-2, F-117 stealth fighter, F-16 and F-15 aircraft responded to targets during a simiulated change of the calendar from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1.

Assessments also were made in anticipation of potential airstrikes on Feb. 29 during a leap year, which occurs every fourth year and will occur in 2000.

Avella said potential problems include readings of calendar dates on aircraft and pilot communications.

To avoid potential problems on Dec. 31 through Jan. 1 and on Feb. 29, dates can be reprogrammed. In the case of ground-based communications, vital equipment such as what Avella called a mission planning system can be fixed or "patched" through computer programming to function properly on those days.

Two F-15s participating in the Y2K Flag were injured, neither seriously, when their planes crashed Tuesday. The cause is under investigation.