New DoD Directive Gives And Takes Away…

The civilian sector, rather than the U.S. Air Force, will now be the driver of of government policy when it comes to the joint military and civilian control of GPS, as seems to be indicated within a new Department of Defense (DoD) directive. The new and “firmer” voice in such dealings will be the Department of Transportation in the February 19th published directive on Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT—which actually should read Position, Navigation and Timing). The document is certainly far-reaching and will come as a surprise to some, but not so to others, with all future policy making and acquisition decisions for GPS being placed directly within the Joint community at its highest military and civilian levels. Yes, the directive seems to indicate that the U.S.A.F. has given up whatever control they may have possessed within this arena, but we do not know what they may have acquired by surrendering such control in a balance of power exchange—they will be more than delighted to to bring online and control better, more powerful satellites and other tools to serve U.S. and allied warfighters—Washington, D.C.