Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology Paul G. Kaminski
today participated in a White House ceremony announcing the first comprehensive
statement of U.S. policy on the management and use of the Global Positioning
System. According to Kaminski, this policy statement marks a milestone in the
evolution of GPS as a critical defense resource and an equally critical
economic and scientific resource that will benefit the U.S. and the world. It
represents the best of American scientific and technical ingenuity and
highlights the positive results that can be achieved when the military and
civil sectors cooperate in creating a true dual use system.
GPS consists of a constellation of 24 satellites, a worldwide signal monitoring
and control network and a broad family of military and civilian user equipment.
As the developer and operator of GPS, the Defense Department has been an active
proponent of its use for civilian purposes. GPS is intended to provide a
substantial military competitive advantage for the U.S. and its allies over
any potential adversaries while at the same time serving a broad range of
civilian applications. In fact, GPS has already proved its military
effectiveness during Desert Storm and humanitarian operations in Somalia,
Haiti and Bosnia and is now being fully integrated into virtually every facet
of U.S. military operations.
At the same time, GPS applications have grown enormously in the civilian
sector. GPS use already exists far beyond the simple scope of navigation and
positioning, as the system has evolved into an information resource and an
integral part of the Global Information Infrastructure. Throughout this
process, DoD has worked in close partnership with both federal and private
civil organizations to bring GPS into full operational use for civilian as well
as military benefit.
Because of this policy and its commitment to long-term, stable GPS operations,
DoD will continue to support GPS use for peaceful civil purposes. We
anticipate and long, healthy partnership with the civilian community through
the GPS Executive Board and through international discussion with other
providers of GPS augmentation services and other satellite-based navigation and
positioning services.
