America at risk from China, lack of GPS alternatives – National Security Space Association

by | Jul 19, 2024 | Blog

GPS III Satellite USAF

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America at risk from China, lack of GPS alternatives – National Security Space Association

“GPS blackmail” possible, may have already happened. Leadership needed.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, July 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — In a paper released yesterday, the National Security Space Association (NSSA) warns that America is over-dependent on GPS, has no real alternatives, and is far behind China and Russia. Both of those nations have terrestrial backups for space-based navigation and timing signals. Because GPS and other satellite navigation signals are so easily interrupted and imitated, this puts the U.S. at great risk.
This “navigation warfare asymmetry” makes it easy for adversaries to interfere with American weapons systems, as is happening in Ukraine. It also threatens critical infrastructure in the homeland.

The U.S. is so dependent on GPS signals, according to the paper, just the threat of disruption could be enough to affect our policies and actions.

“Merely the threat of disrupting GPS services might be enough to impact U.S. national security and foreign policy.”

— Mark Berkowitz

This may have already happened. Prior to invading Ukraine, Russia destroyed one of its old satellites with a ground-based missile. It then threatened to destroy all of America’s GPS satellites if NATO interfered in the region. There is no way of knowing the impact this has had on the U.S. or NATO response.

The U.S. government has been aware of this problem for at least two decades. Presidents and Congress have mandated a series of remedies, though no action has been taken.

The paper says “Focused leadership, properly empowered and resourced, is essential…” to making the nation safe and regaining American leadership in the field.

The paper “America’s Asymmetric Vulnerability to Navigation Warfare: Leadership and Strategic Direction Needed to Mitigate Significant Threats” was sponsored by the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation and can be found here.

Mr. Dana A. Goward
Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation
+1 571-225-2580
[email protected]
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