A Future With eLoran

Radionavigation is a global business with a global footprint and the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) has been the jewel in the crown for nearly a generation. The U.S. has established such a level of trust in its operation of GPS that governments, service providers, and users worldwide have included it in their critical infrastructure, safety-critical, and mass-market applications, and have decommissioned many other aids to navigation. In making decisions on GPS and other systems, the international community takes careful note of the U.S. Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP): “the official source of U.S. radionavigation policy and planning”.

All radionavigation systems, including GPS, have their weaknesses. On February 7, 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would begin implementing Enhanced Loran (eLoran), an enhanced and modernized version of Loran-C, as the U.S. national backup system. This independent, positioning, navigation, timing, and data delivery system would mitigate the safety, security, or economic effects of a loss of GPS for critical infrastructure applications, especially those that require precise time and frequency. The 2008 U.S. FRP, released by the new administration in February 2009, states that this decision was based on the findings of the U.S. Institute for Defense Analysis’ Independent Assessment Team and endorsed at the March 2008 meeting of the U.S. National Space-based PNT Executive Committee.

The international community and the International Loran Association (ILA) applauded the February 2008 U.S. decision. It was well timed to take advantage of European developments that had demonstrated the exceptional value-for-money and high performance of minimally-manned eLoran stations. The U.S. DHS announcement stimulated investment decisions and eLoran development activities worldwide.

In our rapidly changing and connected world, the ILA notes that the proposal by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to terminate Loran-C within a week of the publication of the 2008 FRP only makes sense when the termination of the Loran-C program is part of the transition to an eLoran program. Additionally, it should be recognized that a significant part of the existing modernized Loran-C infrastructure can be used for an efficient transition to eLoran. If this is the intent of the OMB statement, then the ILA encourages this development and awaits a plan for its implementation.

As an international Association, the ILA believes that a U.S. decision in 2009 to transition to eLoran will have a positive effect worldwide, will build industrial capability, and will drive creativity and innovation. As numerous studies have shown, the greatest benefit option for Loran-C service providers is to transition to eLoran. The ILA stands ready to support governments, service providers, and users worldwide in that decision-making process.