Russian Y2K progress continues to worry the US Department of Defence as communication between the US and Russia struggles to restart after Kosovo

Published: 7/26/1999

A recent report from Reuters further emphasised the US Defence Department concerns with Russia's progress in minimising the risks of a missile-launch misunderstanding at the height of Year 2000 computer uncertainties. Moscow, which froze contacts in late March over the US-led NATO bombing of an ally, Serbia, has not yet replied to the latest US overture, said a Pentagon spokesman, Lieutenant Commander Anthony Cooper of the Navy.' We have sent communications inviting them to participate in further talks ... to get prepared for the transition that we're talking about,' he said.' We have not had a reply yet.' Cooper declined to characterize Russia's delay as a matter of concern to the Pentagon at this point. Other US officials said privately that the fresh bid to nudge Russia on meeting 2000-related challenges had been sent. The State Department did not reply to a question about any US concerns over the lag. At issue is a proposed temporary ''early warning'' centre that would keep missile-launching commanders aware of what the other side was seeing and doing during the potentially troublesome date rollover. Simulations have shown that older computers and microchips could crash or malfunction by misreading the year 2000 as 1900. A facility to head off any false alerts, designed to be shared with Russia has already been set up by the United States at Peterson Air Force Base, near Colorado Springs. Pentagon officials say they are fully confident, based on extensive testing, that critical systems in the US nuclear chain of command will work flawlessly during the date change. They also say they see virtually no possibility of accidental launches because humans must make final decisions in both countries. But Pentagon planners have voiced doubts about whether all such Russian systems can be relied on to make the transition glitch-free, partly because Moscow began its upgrades later and partly because it is strapped for cash to carry them out. In the latest sign of the Russian military's financial straits, units in charge of Russia's nuclear forces in the Far East reported being left without power this week because the utility bill has not been paid, the Washington Post reported. Radar systems conked out, water pumps quit working, and dozens of garrisons went dark, according to unit commanders. News agency Interfax, reported that electricity was cut off to units responsible for the strategic rockets that made up Russia's ''nuclear shield'' and for controlling Russia's air border. The military's press service said outages were limited to units of secondary importance, but acknowledged the situation was worrisome.

Article ID: 699