LORAN-C on the brink of termination?

Date: 4/11/2009

Source: Inside GNSS

A recently approved fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows for the termination of the LORAN-C signal on 4 January 2010.

In order for the programme to be shut down, two more signatures are required. One from the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard confirming that the system is no longer required for navigation, and the other from the Secretary of DHS, confirming that the system is not required as a backup to GPS.

This action has come amidst numerous discussions for and against the continuation of the eLORAN programme and the 2006 recommendation of an Independent Assessment Team (IAT) that eLORAN could serve as a backup for GPS.  The author argues that this terminating LORAN-C could affect the future of eLORAN.

The discussions on eLORAN’s future and its role as a backup to GPS are covered in a previous ITS Radar International article.

ITS Radar International will continue to monitor eLoran developments

Keywords: Galileo