Clinton's Nuclear Legacy - US chips for Chinese Nukes

So, it is not unreasonable to think that these chips will be used in foreign GPS satellites?

Nope, not at all-but everybody makes rad-hard chips, not just the US.

Kill or DISABLE?

There is no significant difference.

I believe that if those satellites can be turned off, jammed, or otherwise scrambled, that the CHINESE have the best shot at it. How much of the GPS technology did Clinton give to the CHINESE?

Why is it that everyone thinks that the DoD doesn't understand things like compromised key lists and such?

Why do they assume, in other words, that the professional space warriors are dumber than a box of rocks?

I don't know and I would venture neither do you.

You venture incorrectly.

Do our GPS satellites have self-destruct capabilities, should they lose orbit and need to be destroyed?

If they come out of orbit, they get destroyed on reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. No destruct capability needed.

The precision of GPS coordinates is varied for various uses. Normal precision is what you and I can get. Then there is military precision. This accuracy was available only to the military (and other government agencies like NASA), and yet, Clinton gave away the 'key' to this to the Chinese.

Actually, he didn't; the key to military precision is not in a magic computer chip, it's in a second GPS channel that is encrypted.

Reverse engineering. Now that the Chinese have the chips, they can determine exactly what and how they are 'protected'.

Anybody with a degree in electrical engineering can see how they're protected.

Then, they design an extra protection around these 'hardened chips' that the US ones (already in use, in orbit) do not have.

GPS birds are hardened to the JCS Level One standard, far beyond what these chips are hardened to.

Place the Chinese GPS sats in a different orbit than the US ones.

Doesn't help them a bit.

Play bowling for dollars with a bunch of steel ball bearings. I can think of many ways to destroy or incapacitate them.

And, of course, cripple their own satellites due to a Kesselman Syndrome--which, BTW, is what really killed the Air Force ASAT program.

FIRST, Thank you for bouncing this pig back and forth. I always appreciate your input and discussion.

I was actually shocked to have that second article come out while we were discussing this, as I had heard this was what they were up to, but hadn't found another source for it.

Do you accept the word of the People's Daily as absolute truth?

No. That is why I said Seems this article disagrees with you.

I don't know exactly what level of information you are privy to, but I have a respect for your input on the subject. You are clearly more knowledgeable on this than I am, and that is what is important.

You seem to accept that we are perfectly safe, and yet, I wonder why other countries are going to the expense of putting up their own system.

I am concerned because the only way to beat the US and her friends militarily, is to beat our technology. We don't have the manpower to compete hand to hand. The GPS sats are our Achille's heel. If there is a way to defeat them, someone will find it.

I know, all doom and gloom doesn't help our country. Yet, you seem so Proud and confident in our aging GPS satellites. I just remember that Pride goeth before a fall.

You seem to accept that we are perfectly safe, and yet, I wonder why other countries are going to the expense of putting up their own system.

They are concerned about two words that are seldom mentioned outside of US Space Command briefings: "Selective availability."

We can, at our discretion, degrade GPS service in a specific region to the point of absolute uselessness--except for those who have a current P(Y) code key (namely, the US military).

A lot of nations have become dependent on GPS to enable just-in-time inventory and supply chain visibility (i.e., knowing where everything is and when it will get to where it's needed). They are worried that we can literally pull the plug on their economies. China would be the biggest loser in this scenario.

If we were as dependent on GLONASS (the Russian GPS analogue--not nearly as accurate, even for units with access to the encrypted signal) as the rest of the world is on GPS, you (and I) would be demanding that the US launch a 100% US-operated navigation satellite constellation.

Yet, you seem so Proud and confident in our aging GPS satellites.

The next generation is moving along nicely; and the current generation is getting incremental upgrades with each launch.

Thank you for that information. It settles my mind some, to see other reasons given for the 'state of affairs'. As always, there are posters on FR that have true knowledge of just about every subject discussable. Although it takes time and patience, one can usually get to the 'truth' ,IF that is what one wants. (I say this as I find there are many that do not want the truth, they only want confirmation of what they think is the truth)

Thanks for being so informative and willing to discuss this, and not being patronizing.

It looks like we are ONE STEP AHEAD and I pray to God we stay that way.

Thanks...Pb.

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