Embedded Computer Systems

F-14D Aircraft Software Is Not Reliable Gao ID: IMTEC-92-21 April 2, 1992

The Navy's $6.1 billion upgrade of the F-14D "tomcat" fighter aircraft is plagued by serious software problems that have caused cockpit displays to go blank and erroneous data to be submitted to the mission computer. In addition, the Navy's approach to testing software development has been inadequate, increasing the risk that serious software defects may still be unidentified. While the Navy is correcting F-14D software problems, the Navy plans to develop and add the deferred software functions to the aircraft before these efforts are completed. This new software depends on the stability and reliability of the existing software. Proceeding with the deferred software development before ensuring that the existing software is reliable will complicate and make it more costly and time-consuming to detect and correct software problems.

GAO found that: (1) the F-14D aircraft cannot meet its intended mission due in part to software problems that prevent the aircraft from functioning properly; (2) software problems have caused cockpit displays to go blank and erroneous data to be supplied to the mission computer; (3) the Navy's software development testing approach was inadequate and increased the risk that more serious defects may still be unidentified; (4) the Navy did not follow software development standards that recommended independent testing of a contractor's product before acceptance of the use of detailed design specifications as criteria for testing, and thorough testing of each function for compliance with design requirements; (5) the Navy is correcting F-14D software problems, but plans to develop and add the deferred software functions to the aircraft before correcting the problems; (6) the new software depends on the stability and reliability of the existing software; and (7) proceeding with the deferred software effort before ensuring that existing software is reliable will complicate and increase software problems.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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