The German Navy is looking for a modern storage solution for some of its ships. Floppy disks have kept the fleet afloat for decades.

The German Navy is busy renewing its F123 fleet. The ships have now completed thirty years of service. A contract has already been signed with Saab for the weapons arsenal, but the fleet also requires technological renewal. The Navy is still looking for a solution for this.

The problem: The ships are still dependent on floppy disks for control. The ships were put into service between 1994 and 1996. At that time, floppy disks were the most modern medium for storing data, but the technology is now hopelessly outdated. In addition, every storage medium has a limited lifespan.

Emulated memory

The Navy has issued a request for proposals to find a more modern system to replace the diskettes. An emulated storage system is being considered. In any case, it will not be easy to simply replace the diskettes after thirty years.

Floppy disks have an archaic connotation. In 2011, the last manufacturer, Sony, stopped producing new devices. However, they are far from disappearing from the IT environment of organizations. Only recently, the Japanese government banned floppy disks.