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To: pabianice
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4 posted on 12/30/2009 2:15:31 PM PST by teletech (Say NO to RINOS!)
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To: teletech

No. It says it CAN be turned-off is USCG, DHS, etc., approve.


11 posted on 12/30/2009 2:32:29 PM PST by pabianice
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To: teletech
That's friggin stupid!

From a national security stand point, you NEVER put all your eggs in one basket. We would be completely dependent on a single technology (GPS) which can be jammed, shot down, attacked with ground based lasers, etc. We have backups built into GPS, being able to encrypt the signal (make it less accurate), shift it and screw up the bad guy if they try to use our own signal, turn it off, back up satellites, we can use sensor fusion GPS+INS etc etc etc. However, we are now going to completely rely ona single technology that is extremely critical when it comes to national security and transportation. This IMHO is stupid. This could become an achilles heal.

We are generally very smart when it comes to things like this. Like the M16 made by Colt (CT) and FN (SC) in the US. The FBCB2 system, made by Paravant and Litton......we even avoid single source suppliers, we avoid single technology guidance systems thereby making counter measures nearly impossible because we use GPS, laser, Electro optical, IR, mmWR, and SACLOS. A quick and true historical example: Years past, for budget reasons the Germans placed all their eggs in one basket using SACLOS systems in the TOW, Milan, HOT missiles and they used them on ground and air based platforms. The Soviets developed Shitora, a SACLOS defeating system, and this would have caused serious problems for them. Of course you can harden these systems (which we did), but still, you get the point that you make yourself vulnerable this way.

Loran allows for a ground based navigational system that serves as a good alternative “just in case.” You keep it alive and on the back burner. You spend some money advancing the technology, patch things together, etc. You know that GPS is the golden child, the standard which everyone uses, but Loran is the “smash glass in case of emergency,” panic button. Preexisting infrastructure, tested and proven technology (Since WWII for the US Navy), we just make incremental improvements and keep the patient barely breathing and alive enough in the right places (where we need it) to where if something were to go sideways we can react.

18 posted on 12/30/2009 3:07:31 PM PST by Red6
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