A NEW TERM has entered the military lexicon, with the award of a $3 million contract to Rockwell, to study ways in, which US and Allied forces can use the global-positioning system (GPS) for "navigation warfare".
The 13-month navigation-warfare study, scheduled to begin in August, "-will address methods of assuring and protecting GPS signal-acquisition by US and friendly forces, while preventing its use by adversaries-and maintaining civilian usage of GPS outside the areas of conflict," says Rockwell.
A Rockwell-led team, including BDM, Collins, E-Systems and SRI International, will consider improvements to GPS space, control and user segments, as well as development of jamming techniques and operational tactics. The study will produce the specification for a navigation warfare architecture to be used in development of an integrated system.
The US Government decision in March to guarantee continuous, worldwide, availability of civil-GPS signals was predicated on the US military developing measures to prevent hostile use of the system "-without unduly disrupting or degrading civilian uses". US Army GPS-jamming tests, have been under way in the south-west USA since late 1995.
Source: Flight International