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What’s new: An item in The Economist that covers a lot of familiar ground (though good reminders) and also speculates that China or President Trump may threaten or actually deny use of GPS/ other GNSS to other countries as a way to influence their actions.
Why it’s important:
- GNSS are instruments of national power, both hard power (use in combat, denial to others) and soft power (gaining good will by allowing others to use and cooperating with them).
- Most nations do not have sovereign PNT systems to support technology and applications. They depend upon others.
What else to know:
- The “Mr. Pollpeter” mentioned in the article is Kevin Pollpeter of the China Aerospace Studies Institute.
- The Economist article is behind a paywall but can be accessed for free by establishing an account.
International | Lost signals
Can China jam your GPS?
Its huge investment in the rival BeiDou system may give it an edge
IN MARCH, WHEN President Donald Trump briefly withheld intelligence support from Ukraine, the shock waves buffeted America’s allies, who worried they could no longer take for granted access to the superpower’s vast space-based resources. This uncertainty extends beyond defence to equally crucial tools, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS).
