Inside GNSS
Dee Ann Divis
December 10, 2015
The National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT ExCom) has recommended using enhanced Loran (eLoran) as a near-term alternative to GPS for essential timing data while it determines what capabilities are needed for a comprehensive GPS backup, officials told Congress this week.
In a December 8 letter, Department of Defense (DoD) Deputy Secretary Robert Work and Department of Transportation (DoT) Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez, cochairs of the PNT ExCom, outlined a two-step plan to put the backups in place. Established by a 2004 presidential directive, the PNT ExCom is the highest-level body charged with coordinating GPS-related matters across multiple federal agencies to ensure that the system addresses national priorities as well as military requirements.
