The Global Positioning System's Weaknesses During Use in Combat

Abstract

This essay discusses the weaknesses of Global Positioning System (GPS) use in combat, and in particular its susceptibility to Electronic Warfare (EW). Jamming a radio signal has been a successful component of EW for decades, dating back to the pre-Vietnam war era. The success of the GPS depends solely on the accuracy of signals output by a satellite, and then received by a radio receiver (the GPS receiver). The ability to jam any type of radio signal impedes its accuracy, and therefore causes the signal to relay potentially false information. In the GPS world, the reliability and accuracy of the signal is the key to saving or costing lives because of the militarys reliance on GPS for bombs, radio equipment and hand held receivers. Jamming, in particular, is a successful means of destroying the GPS signal and causing it to be useless in combat, or in peacetime.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 13, 2007
Accession Number
AD1117341

Entities

People

  • Robert Scott

Organizations

  • United States Army Sergeants Major Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Electronic Warfare
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Battlefields
  • Bombs
  • Continuous Waves
  • Cruise Missiles
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Frequency
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Grids
  • Guided Missiles
  • Iraqi-War
  • Joint Military Activities
  • Munitions
  • Radio Equipment
  • Radio Frequency
  • Radio Receivers
  • Radio Signals
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Radio communications and signal processing.
  • Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space