karlth@rhi.hi.is (Karl Thoroddsen) (02/12/91)
From: karlth@rhi.hi.is (Karl Thoroddsen) Could someone give any info on the software used in missiles(Patriot, Tomahawk, etc). Especially regarding the language used, is it Machine Code coded straight into the eletronics or are compilers(C, etc) used. Thanks in advance -- Karl Thoroddsen Computer Science University of Iceland ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
adlacy@vax1.tcd.ie (02/14/91)
From: adlacy@vax1.tcd.ie > From: karlth@rhi.hi.is (Karl Thoroddsen) > > Could someone give any info on the software used in missiles(Patriot, > Tomahawk, etc). Especially regarding the language used, is it Machine > Code coded straight into the eletronics or are compilers(C, etc) used. I believe Ada is one language used [my source for this was Usenet itself, from an article by someone who programmed for th military himself.... in the article he was saying that missiles were programmed in the middle of the gulf war. Can anyone help here on identifying it ?] cheers, Andy! ________________________________________________________________________________ Andrew Lacy, Comp. Eng.. Ugrad. | adlacy@vax1.tcd.ie (preferred address) T.C.D. Ireland. | adlacy@unix2.tcd.ie ______________________________________|_________________________________________
panisset@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (Jean-Francois Panisset ) (02/15/91)
From: panisset@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (Jean-Francois Panisset ) In article <1991Feb12.012958.6962@cbnews.att.com> karlth@rhi.hi.is (Karl Thoroddsen) writes: >Could someone give any info on the software used in missiles(Patriot, >Tomahawk, etc). Especially regarding the language used, is it Machine >Code coded straight into the eletronics or are compilers(C, etc) used. Well, I don't know about the software, but I was browsing through the databook for the Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays the other day and I saw a reprint of an article that said that these parts were being used some of the systems on board the Tomahawk. For those who are not familiar with these, FPGAs are gate arrays which are programmable at power-up via a configuration file which is downloaded either from EPROM or from some other source. Thus although they offer fewer gates and have a higher unit cost than traditional gate arrays, their turn-around time is much better. The article mentionned that the gate arrays were being re-programmed in-flight: I guess that according to the phase of the flight of the missile, different configuration data can be downloaded into the FPGA, thus reducing the amoun of hardware required. JF -- Jean-Francois Panisset INET: panisset@mcrcim.mcgill.ca panisset@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu UUCP: ...!mcgill-vision!panisset