tuff_wizard comments on The MP944 was the ‘real’ world’s first microprocessor, but it was top secret for nearly 30 years — F-14 Tomcat's chip lived in the shadow of the Intel 4004, but was eight times faster

The MP944 was the ‘real’ world’s first microprocessor, but it was top secret for nearly 30 years — F-14 Tomcat's chip lived in the shadow of the Intel 4004, but was eight times faster (www.tomshardware.com)

submitted 11 months ago by cm0002@libretechni.ca to c/retrocomputing@lemmy.sdf.org

15 comments fedilink hide all child comments

For a long time, what is now considered to be a prime candidate for the title of the ‘world’s first microprocessor’ was a very well-kept secret for nearly 30 years. The MP944 is the inauspicious name of the chip we want to highlight today. It was developed to be the brains behind the U.S. Navy’s F-14 Tomcat’s Central Air Data Computer (CADC). Thus, it isn’t surprising that the MP944 was a cut above the Intel 4004, the world’s first commercial microprocessor, which was designed to power a desktop calculator.

[–] tuff_wizard@aussie.zone 36 points 11 months ago

Knowing military spending goals and aviation regulations, probably 10 of the same chip

permalink

fedilink

source

parent