Navy Suspends Alliant Techsystems Missile Tests Following Software Failure

The U.S. Navy halted tests of an Alliant Techsystems Inc. anti-radar missile following 6 software or circuit-card failures in the first 12 trials.

It’s “a rare occurrence” to stop combat testing so soon, the Pentagon’s office of operational testing said in an e-mail provided by Cheryl Irwin, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Defense Department. The office said it doesn’t know how long it will take the Navy and Alliant Techsystems to evaluate fixes and resume testing.

Testing stopped Sept. 3. One hundred flights are planned to evaluate the missile’s effectiveness in destroying enemy missile radar, with the initial flights to assess missile guidance, internal diagnostics and pre-launch communications with the pilot, Navy and Pentagon officials said.

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