The 1991 Patriot failure at Dhahran involved an inaccurate time calculation whose effect grew during extended operation until the system could not track the incoming Scud.

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Location PART 1 - TONS OF PUNKS, ONE BIG JERK CHAPTER 2: NO MOAT IN BLOAT From Cosmic Rays to Bungee Jumps

"The 1991 Patriot failure at Dhahran involved an inaccurate time calculation whose effect grew during extended operation until the system could not track the incoming Scud."

GAO found that after more than 100 hours of continuous operation, accumulated timing inaccuracy shifted the range gate enough that Alpha Battery could not track the incoming Scud.

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Source title Patriot Missile Defense: Software Problem Led to System Failure at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Source authors U.S. General Accounting Office

Source year 1992

Confidence high

Importance high