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U.S. Makes Plans for GPS Shutdown

Posted by michael on from the dead-reckoning dept.

sailforsingapore writes "Apparently, President Bush is drawing up plans to disable sections of the GPS network in the event of a terrorist attack. The rationale seems to be that it would prevent said terrorists from using the GPS system to direct some sort of attack. The plan would shut down access not only to the GPS satellite network, but projects like the EU's Galileo. Ironically, this comes alongside the President's plan to strengthen the GPS network against deliberate jamming."

5 of 945 comments (clear)

  1. Its called WAAS by flyingace · · Score: 5, Informative

    WAAS was demilitarized some time ago. This allows for much greater accuracy.

    Read more about it
    http://www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html

  2. Re:Galileo? by Darkon · · Score: 5, Informative

    The US and EU reached and agreement over mutual jamming capabilities:

    These technical parameters will allow either side to effectively jam the other's signal in a small area, such as a battlefield, without shutting down the entire system.

  3. Nothing, but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Imagine some terrorist group is launching a dozen of home-made of cruise missile towards Washington. Bush has every reason to shut down the GPS. It makes sense to ask EU for a favour to shut down Galileo temporarily.

    The problem is the Bush Administration is just so arrogant. The Pentagon has plan to do whatever, regardless of what they say they would or wouldn't do. I don't have a problem with this. But, that does not mean it is rational to threat the supposely allied EU countries for an attack of Galileo... Let's turn the table around. Imagine what would be Bush's reaction if the French Government say that kind of crap first....

    I don't even need to mention other sovereignty countries... It is clear why Bush is hated by so many people around the world.

  4. NO! (Re:Its called WAAS) by Lesson+No.+25 · · Score: 5, Informative
    I thought they could shut down the GPS in sections at will already? Didn't they do this when they invaded Iraq (er, 2nd time)?

    When Clinton allowed for more accurate GPS signals to be used by civilians, it sure seemed like they just flipped a switch one day and it was suddenly more accurate for everyone...

    WAAS was demilitarized some time ago. This allows for much greater accuracy.

    I work in the Testing & Evaluation of WAAS. WAAS and Selective Availability are not the same (or opposites). WAAS was never "militarized".

    When Clinton ordered for the switch to be flipped (so to speak), what was done was the disabling of Selective Availability, which was a purposeful degradation of the civilian GPS signal (L1). The military had (and still has) a second (encrypted) signal that a military receiver must have a key to properly use (L2). Using that signal enhances their accuracy, whether or not Selective Availability is active.

    WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) is something else. WAAS uses Geostationary Satellites to enhance (augment) GPS accuracy & precision in the USA. Not all GPS receivers use WAAS. Accuracy of a WAAS receiver is increased in either case (that is, with or without Selective Availability) relative to a non-WAAS receiver, but there is a noticeable difference from SA.

    Not all GPS receivers use WAAS, but Selective Availability has been disabled, which affects all GPS receivers.

  5. Re:Why is that ironic? by antoy · · Score: 4, Informative

    Such as the US blocking the EU's Galilei service?

    It's a mutual deal between the EU and the US. They can block each other for small areas, both sides agreed to this.