European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 29, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse That fighting men can use . New York times n the night of May 17. A radar pc razor. Bathed in Ilia dim Light of the combat control room on the frigate Slark was monitoring the screen of a sophisticated electronic device i racking every nearby radar signal in the Waters and airspace off Bahrain. But the device designed by the Raythelon co. To beep and Flash 3 Cue when in deleted hostile radars apparently had put Loo much stress on the weakest link in the Slark 5 defensive Chain the human operator. Somebody had turned Ell the audible alarm because i s frequent beeps bothered him. And the operator evidently was not looking when the warning system s screen hashed a sign that an exec cd missile dred from an iraqi Jet was hurling toward the ship while there Are Many reasons Why the Stark s Crew was caught unaware in the attack that killed 37 sailors it seems that Humai Lai Lutes aboard he $300 Milton nigh Lech warship played a much larger Rote than equipment malfunctions. The tale is a Nightmare Lor the manufacturers of sophisticated electronic weaponry who Lind increasingly that the systems they Are building have become Loo Complex for soldiers and sailors to operate properly. Moreover maintenance and repair of the elec Tomc weapons a e also often beyond the ability of most military personnel despite Iho investment ote Normous amounts of framing Lime according to exports both inside and us Lido the government. In s a matter o1 con Slang concern to us said Donn a starry a retired army general who is now exec Lwe vice president of the Ford aerospace and communications corp., a unil of the Ford motor co. Too often said starry contractors put to Geller the flashes technology available Wilhour considering How Iho troops will handle a new weapons system. To realm the human actor As an afterthought he said was never a Good Way to do business and in is even less Good in this Day and the problem has became severe enough that the army is now requiring companies bidding on new systems to demonstrate that their designs will insure simplified of oration and maintenance similar efforts Are being pressed by the Navy and the air Force. The change in rules could ultimately affect a Choice of winners in the nation s High Slakes military procurement game. Failure to comply with the new requirements could mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to some companies. Al the same time other companies could use the new rules to increase their share of the military electronics business the fastest Ector of military Supply. As a result virtually All the Liick Milria a suppliers Are redirecting their Engineer to to sign weapons with the needs of the Soldier much More in mind. We want the Cusco mar to be Happy so we spend n lot it Lime trying to figure out How to do this said starry. In the process the big Contr actors Are turning to outsiders Lor help creating a booming business for Small engineering companies and constants who Are Ollen former military officials. They use a variety of teaching and design aids ranging from earlier Field less of equipment o training sessions Tor generals to make weapons easier to use. Last year we worked for 12 of the 50 largest aerospace Conti Artois said Peter 0 Weddle president of Hay systems inc. A year old company based in Washington hat already is doing business at a Pace of about $5.5 million annually. The human factors business has become a productive lode Lor Small companies two Britou the Washington area where consultants and engineering concerns ring the Pentagon. In the last Lew years they really have been focusing on that said Virginia uht Ejohn who directs the professional services Council. Besides Hay local leaders in the yield inc Luna the Essex corp and automation research systems ltd., both of Alexandria va., said Esther Smith publisher of Washington technology a biweekly newspaper published for High Lech businesses in the Region. New Vord times Paga 14 the stars and stripes monday i
