Forum: General F-16 forum

Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 - 09:12 PM Posts: 901

hey guys,

this might not be a hot topic, but can I have any response from anyone dealing with the Viper OFP (Operational Flight Program) here? From the Flight International article on the Block 60, I am surprise to learn that, Existing F-16 mission computer and flight control software has been rewitten from Ada and Jovial into the C++ commercial high-order language, then built on to provide the additional capabilities of the Block 60.

Is C++, the language of future OFP? Shocked

PS: JOVIAL (Jules Own Version of the International Algorithmic Language)

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JOVIAL is as old as the hills, it predates C and C++ (and Ada) by quite a while.

I worked with the OFPs when I was at GD years ago, they were in JOVIAL then. DoD forced Ada upon the defense industry, and they fought back with C/C++.

When I worked on F-16 simulators we were given the JOVIAL OFP code by GD/Lockheed as part of the contract, we then ported it all over to C++ for the sims since we did not have Ada imposed on our program.

Is C++ the future? It is the present, C# or even Java is probably the future though.

JOVIAL??!!?? Yikes! Talk about stone age!

C/C++ IS the present. Java may be the future, but also the next generation of language as well. That's in the works now anyway.

Quote:

Yikes! Talk about stone age!

Young whippersnappers! Wink

The first programming language I learned was FORTRAN IV/G. That was years before FORTRAN/77 (as in 1977) if that tells you anything... Sad

Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 - 09:12 PM Posts: 901

Habu, to be fair, JOVIAL has served the Fighting Falcon families well. Wink

Frankly, I am not familar with JOVIAL. I have been surfing on the topic of Ada Vs C/C++ on the net. There has been some ongoing debates. The general sentiments are Although most assessment favours C and C++ in some areas, Ada holds up well as a choice for weapon systems and airborne and spaceborne avionics. In my opinion, Ada might not be as efficient as C/C++, but it will certainly not surprise anyone with any unexpected failures in mission-critical environment. I guess that is why the DoD advocated the language in the defense industry. habu2, does the DoD not muscle that idea these days?

If I am not wrong, C# is Microsoft answer to Java. I am sure both C# and Java have their advantages. I guess they're good for non-critical Man Machine Interfaces programs. But, should they really chose to employ C# for future OFP, I sincerely hope the pilots do not get to see the infamous Microsoft's Exclamation

on their MFDs in the middle of engagement. Wink

cheers,

Yes C# is to counter Java, just as C++ was to counter Ada.

Last thing you want to see in an airplane is the BSOD! (Blue Screen of Death) Shocked

habu2 wrote:

Last thing you want to see in an airplane is the BSOD! (Blue Screen of Death) Shocked

Yeah, right about the time your christmas tree is all lit up and you pull that little yellow handle.... "Your Aircraft has commited an illegal operation and must be shut down"

I wonder if they'd ask the Airforce if they'd like to send an error report afterward.

Oh I wasn't baggin on it, it's just that I know it's an ooooold language. Wink

Forum: General F-16 forum

Viper's Operational Flight Program