NRO Satellite hits Y2K glitch

[mea culpa <jericho () DIMENSIONAL COM>]

http://www.drudgereport.com/gertz.htm

BILL GERTZ
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
January 02, 2000

Scary, quickly fixed failure 'blinds' satellite spy network A New Year's
Eve computer failure at the supersecret National Reconnaissance Office
nearly blinded the agency's global satellite spying operations for several
hours until a backup system was activated, the Pentagon said yesterday.

Deputy Defense Secretary John Hamre told reporters the problem with "a
satellite-based intelligence system" was "significant" and had reduced the
ability of the spy agency to monitor world events. The problem is expected
to last several days, he said.

"For a period of several hours we were not able to process information
from that system," Mr. Hamre said, declining to provide specific details.

Asked whether U.S. high-technology spies were "blinded," Mr. Hamre said:
"For a short period of time we were not able to process the information
that the satellites were sending."

An official familiar with the incident said later that he agreed with Mr.
Hamre's assessment that the data cutoff was serious, but that not all
satellites were unable to transmit data. "Not everything was affected,"
the official said.

The disruption of the spy satellites is the only major year-2000 computer
problem for the U.S. government reported so far. It occurred despite an
earlier readiness test.

The reconnaissance office, known as NRO, operates a small number of
satellites capable of photographing images on the ground and transmitting
them back to Earth. The satellites' precise capabilities are classified,
but intelligence officials have said privately they can identify objects
on the ground as small as 24 inches.

The most advanced imaging satellites are maneuverable and can transmit
live video with no delay. Some have the capability to see through clouds
and most contain separate electronic eavesdropping systems.

The satellites, which cost as much as $1 billion each, operate primarily
in orbit about 300 miles high. They monitor hot spots around the world
such as Russian military operations in Chechnya, North Korea's pending
long-range missile launch and Iraqi military activities.

Mr. Hamre declined to say where the computer failure occurred. The backup
system is not providing the same level of intelligence as the primary one,
he said.

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