Air traffic control: the IBM 9020

This article links to a previous one on the earlier history of air traffic control. If you find this kind of history as interesting as I do, definitely start with that one for background:

https://computer.rip/2025-05-11-air-traffic-control.html

Fascinating read, I had no idea they had digitized radar systems in the 1960's. Even though we look back on older systems as "outdated", "obsolete", "primitive", etc. the engineering behind them remains fresh and feels as clever as anything.

I assume you are comparing to SAM development (Surface to AirMissile). I had a longer response, but it was rude, particularly to someone interestedin historical systems.

Note the systems language, JOVIAL, there was a another world before UNIX was even a thought.

During the mid seventies, JOVIAL had an important influence on the series of specification documents for programming languages that the Department of Defense issued for the competition that has resulted in the Ada language (STRAWMAN => WOODENMAN => TINMAN => IRONMAN => STEELMAN).

So there is some legacy of JOVIAL surviving to the present day.

Interesting, thanks for sharing.