Thursday, March 01, 2007

International Date Line Confuses F-22 Raptors


Geez. Better keep the fleet grounded when Daylight Savings Time kicks in.
WASHINGTON (AP)- The Air Force says it's correcting technological glitches in roughly 87 F-22 Raptor fighter jets. The computer systems on six of the aircraft were disabled earlier this month during a flight from Hawaii to Japan. An Air Force colonel says the stealth fighter jets were participating in an inaugural 12-hour test flight to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa when a "navigation anomaly" occurred. The computer glitch happened as the aircraft crossed the international date line. It crippled navigation systems and hindered communications. The Air Force says one pilot was able to contact contractor Lockheed Martin to troubleshoot the error during the flight. Several pilots attempted to reboot the system with no success and returned to Hawaii with the help of aerial refueling tankers as a safety precaution. (Copyright 2007 Associated Press.)

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