The U.S. Pentagon used an IBM Series/1 computer with 8-inch floppy disks to manage nuclear forces until 2019, despite its outdated technology.
Outdated computer used for nuclear control
Until 2019, the U.S. Pentagon used an IBM Series/1 computer from 1976 to coordinate its nuclear forces. This system, known as the Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS), relied on 8-inch floppy disks for data storage.Report highlights system's age
A 2016 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) pointed out that SACCS used outdated technology. The report noted that the system was not connected to the internet, which provided a security benefit despite its age.System's role and limitations
SACCS managed all U.S. nuclear forces, including missiles, bombers, and refueling planes. The system's use of 8-inch floppy disks, which could store only 80 kilobytes of data, was highlighted in a 2014 60 Minutes report. Pentagon officials said the system stayed in use because it was still functional.Modernization efforts begin
The GAO report urged the Pentagon to modernize SACCS, and the first step came in 2017 with the replacement of floppy disk readers with Secure Digital (SD) cards. The full replacement was completed in June 2019, using a secure semiconductor storage solution at a cost of about 60 million dollars.
