What, exactly, is the point in this? Anybody in the world who has a receicer can use our GPS system for free, so why waste all the money building their own?
Because the EU is afraid of something that is relied upon and out of their control. If the US turned on GPS, we can turn it off at any time.
The EU wanted their own global positioning system for their next-generation air traffic control that wasn’t subject to US or Russian (who operate GLONASS) whims.
Same reason the Russians and Chinese have: if they go to war with us, they want to have their own system.
Actually, besides the obvious, the Euroweenies want to be able to charge for their system, one way or another, either from their own licensing decoder for the receivers, or licenses for their receivers, etc.
They don't trust you.
I agree with the other replies to your post, plus one more reason why the EU wants their own GPS system.
It was explained to me by someone who works on our system that their system was specifically designed so that, with minor software tweaks, it could be made to interfere with our GPS system. They wanted to be able to make credible threats to our ability to use our advanced weaponry which relies on our GPS system. It was less important whether we could devise a defense against them than that they could introduce one more lever to use against us and try to block our ability to act.
This is one more legacy of the old Europe of Chirac and Schroeder. They will not be missed and will be increasingly viewed with disdain in the years to come.
Pride, envy, etc.
Because the EU has entered a pissing contest with America. They have to be better, bigger, faster, smarter, whatever-er, or they crap out.
What the EU doesn't realize is that their system SUCKS. Socialism will never trump a free market. Never. That's the bottom line, sports fans.