The Standoff Land Attack Missile, Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and the Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) are continuing to prove ready for the year 2000.

The Program Executive Officer for Cruise Missiles and Joint Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (PEO (CU)) is performing a series of Year 2000 (Y2K) tests on SLAM-ER and SLAM with ground tests being performed at the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, California. The systems level Y2K test has included testing of the SLAM-ER Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation system by utilizing a Defense Department approved GPS simulator.

Conducted in the F/A-18 Advanced Weapons Laboratory at China Lake, the Y2K ground test allowed a SLAM-ER and a SLAM to "fly" in a simulated flight mode and verify operation of several key Y2K rollover dates, including the transition from 1999 to 2000.

Year 2000 SLAM-ER and SLAM missions are downloaded using the Tactical Aircraft Mission Planning System (TAMPS) and F/A-18 aircraft interfaces. The SLAM-ER and SLAM have completed each Y2K mission flawlessly. On completion of the latest series of Y2K ground tests, program manager, Capt. A.J. Benn, noted that "the SLAM and SLAM-ER systems have both undergone rigorous testing for Y2K compliance of hardware and software interfaces. I am confident that the performance of these systems will not be affected by the roll-over of the century and that the Œmillennium bug¹ has been exterminated with respect to these programs."

With the completion of this effort, the tools are now available to fully verify the operational viability of those weapon systems that rely on GPS for accurate spatial positioning. This pioneering work will enable not only the testing of SLAM and SLAM-ER, but all GPS guided weapons, thus ensuring the full combat readiness of critical first line weapon systems.

To learn more about the Program Executive Office, Cruise Missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, log on to our website at www.peocu.js.mil.

For further information contact:

Cathy Partusch, Public Affairs Officer, PEO (CU)
Voice: (301) 757-6316 Pager: (888) 534-6628
Email: [email protected]

Sandy Schroeder, Deputy Public Affairs Officer, PEO (CU)
Voice: (301) 757-5289
Email: [email protected]

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