Murphy's Law Article Index : Current 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
 Latest
 News
 
 Most
 Read
 
 Most
 Commented
 Hot
 Topics
Swedes Perfect Spontaneous Ejection
   Next Article → INFANTRY: Dragon Skin Deconstructed

May 29, 2007: Last month, a Swedish Gripen fighter crashed when the pilot suddenly ejected. The pilot insisted that he had not activated the ejection system. After intense investigation, and lots of computer simulation of flight systems, investigators concluded that the pilots account of events was accurate. Turns out that if enough g-force is applied to the aircraft, the pilot ejection system automatically activates. This leaves the aircraft without a pilot, right after it has performed a stressful maneuver (to produce the high g-force.)

 

This sort of thing is increasingly common with modern weapons systems. That because these systems are increasingly more complex systems of systems, where it has become impossible to forecast all of the possible unpleasant, and unwanted, events that could occur under certain situations.

Next Article → INFANTRY: Dragon Skin Deconstructed