via c100driver:
Thorn Bird, you need to do some more research on the U.S. GPS system.
Currently the US GPS system is co managed by Department of Transportation and the Department of Defence. The DOD through the USAF Space command is charged with the operation and maintenance of the GPS. Sitting on the governance board of the U.S. GPS as well as the Air Force and DOT is the Department of Agriculture, NASA, U.S. Coast Guard, Home Land Security just to name a few.
What does all that mean? It is not going to be turned off anytime soon!
Besides the fact, India, Russia, China and the EU all have GNSS components already in flight that is not under the control of the U.S. and can operate independently of the U.S. Though not currently with full availability.
I was at a conference a few years ago when that question was asked and the answer was illuminating. "The use of GPS technology is so interwoven to the American economy from trucking, shipping, police, fire, ambulance, utilities maintenance, rail roads, mining, agriculture, taxi, busses, shopping outlets, to finding the nearest Starbucks that it is never going to be allowed to fail or be turned off. Do you think the average American will accept not getting pizza delivered?"
c100driver, if there are all these 'independent' systems, why do the Chinese GPS system have selective availability ? would seem redundant if all them other systems can be used as backup. What do the most astute military power on earth know what them yanks and others don't ?
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