UK launches SKYNET – not a doomsday plot, just shopping for improved satellite comms

After a week when the media sphere has been alive with the wildest claims about AI and its supposed power to wipe out humanity, it may not have been the best time for the UK's Ministry of Defence to launch a £1.5 billion procurement for SKYNET. Still, maybe they didn't get the memo. Closer examination reveals that the …

[Wibble 2]

Maybe ask James Cameron where he got the name?

The Skynet satellite program started in the 1960's and Skynet1A launched in 1969, predating Terminator by 15 years.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Re: Maybe ask James Cameron where he got the name?

Could it be that he came across a document containing that name in the back of a taxi?

[capitalgossip]

Re: Maybe ask James Cameron where he got the name?

Or maybe AI and Terminator did come first, and then it sent someone back to the 60's from the future, so the MOD could call it Skynet to start the evolution....

[MrMerrymaker]

Why that name?

AI has the squares worried about Terminators already

This won't help!

[anothercynic]

Hey @jake, look!

*NOW* you get to tell us Brits about how 'Skynet' refers to the MoD satellite network ;-)

[ShortLegs]

About 24 years too late

Whats the fuss? I was the Project Initiator for Skynet 5 back in 1999, as an external consultant for DERA in Farnborough

No Reg stories about it back then :)

[LogicGate]

Re: About 24 years too late

You can always submit them to "on call" or, more likely, "who, me?".

Looking forward to both your stories and those of my fellow commentards.

(Edit: Added comma)

[UCAP]

Re: About 24 years too late

Ah-ha - your the person who kept me very busy for quite a few years back in the noughties.

Have a beer =====>

In fact - have two!

[anothercynic]

Re: About 24 years too late

We wanna hear them all! Spill all that can be spilled under the auspices of the OSA. ;-)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: About 24 years too late

Constrained by the OSA I’m sure any anecdote will be along the lines of:

“There was a ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ with a ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ and meanwhile he came at ◼️◼️ with a giant ◼️◼️◼️◼️.

Of course, at the time, I was very, very ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️.”

(Blow me. Wasn’t expecting this to post. El Reg normally barfs at any unicode characters.)

[Michael Strorm]

You'll have someone's eye out with that

That *must* have been a "giant ◼️◼️◼️◼️" if it needed something as big as the Official Secrets Act to cover it up.

[dadbot5000]

TBF Skynet is a pretty great name.

[ashdav]

I agree, it is a good name.

Now give me your clothes and your motorcycle

[David 132]

You forgot to say “please”.