The Defense Information Systems Agency will hang on to its old National Gateway Center Messaging System for a while longer, despite the face the system is very old.

The system runs very slowly compared with a lot of modern systems. NextGov reports the system operates at a maximum speed of 9,600 kilobytes per second.

It used to be called AUTODIN – or Automatic Digital Network – when it was developed back in 1958. But the agency is reportedly extending a contract with Computer Sciences Corporation to keep it running.

DISA routinely uses circuits that operate at gigabytes per second. But officials said it’s a highly specialized, one-of-a kind system and still has some use.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report. For more defense news, click here.

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