GPS
Global Positioning System
Global Positioning System is a satellite-based navigation network operated by the U.S. Space Force that provides precise location, velocity, and timing data to military and civilian users worldwide.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of at least 31 satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of approximately 20,200 kilometers, broadcasting precise timing signals that allow receivers on the ground, at sea, or in the air to calculate their position to within meters. Originally developed by the Department of Defense for military navigation, GPS has become the foundation of modern precision warfare and an essential utility for civilian life.
Military GPS receivers access an encrypted signal (M-code) that provides greater accuracy, resistance to jamming, and anti-spoofing protection compared to the civilian signal. GPS is integral to virtually every aspect of modern military operations: it guides JDAM bombs and cruise missiles to their targets, provides navigation for aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles, synchronizes communications networks, and enables the coordination of forces spread across vast theaters of operations.
The military's dependence on GPS has created a vulnerability that adversaries actively seek to exploit through jamming and spoofing. This has driven investment in alternative positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems, including inertial navigation systems that function without external signals, and the development of jam-resistant GPS receivers with greater antenna protection and signal processing capability.
Related Terms
INS(Inertial Navigation System)
An Inertial Navigation System uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to calculate an object's position, velocity, and orientation without relying on external references like GPS satellites.
JDAM(Joint Direct Attack Munition)
Joint Direct Attack Munition is a low-cost guidance kit that converts unguided gravity bombs into precision-guided weapons using GPS and inertial navigation.
CEP(Circular Error Probable)
Circular Error Probable is a measure of a weapon's accuracy, defined as the radius of a circle centered on the target within which 50% of strikes are expected to land.
Related Articles
A Tomahawk Flies 1,000 Miles and Hits a Specific Window. Here's How It Knows Where to Go.
A Tomahawk cruise missile flies 1,000 miles and hits a specific window on a specific floor of a specific building. Here is how it works, from launch to impact, with every guidance method explained.