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What’s new: An insightful article on the geo-political aspects of GNSS and PNT.
Why it’s important: This article is about Iran switching from GPS to Bei Dou. But Iran is just one example.
- Pakistan has officially gone from using GPS to Bei Dou. Other nations have also, but have not, to our knowledge make it “official.”
- All of this is emblematic of how GPS/GNSS has become a tool of soft power for system owners. Also, how China is working, and succeeding in some places, to displace the U.S. and its influence.
- Many of the reasons the article states for Iran changing are also why China established Bei Dou in the first place. See our posts on China’s 1996 “Unforgettable Humiliation.” This article also points to the 1993 Yinhe Incident, which we just became aware of.
What else to know:
- We have seen a flurry of articles in various media recently about GPS/GNSS/PNT and global influence (soft and hard power). We are very impressed to see this fine piece in Modern Ghana.
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We are interested to see Part 2 of this article and will post it here if and when we see it.
- A good question for leaders in many countries to ask, and perhaps it will be the next question, is:
How do we assure our PNT/sovereignty?
We think the U.K. is showing how and that even less expensive models are available.
When Satellites Become Sovereignty: How Iran’s Defection to BeiDou Reshaped the US Global GPS Navigation
