A Soldier’s GPS Battlefield Benefits and Applications of the Global Positioning System Michael Short Past, Present, and Future

Iraq, 1991 PAST

Stormin’ Norman’s Left Hook

GPS’ Role “Hail Mary” play 200,000 troops, with 60 days’ worth of equipment 100 hours Fastest and largest advance in the history of warfare Even Rommel would be impressed

PRESENT Perfect comparison: Afghan & Iraq 2 Focus on tactical uses Increased dependence = vulnerability? Widespread availability problems

State of the Art -Bulky, 20-lb boxes in Today, PLGR (plugger) is portable, durable -Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver -1 per company (180 soldiers) in Desert Storm -Now, 1 per squadron (9 soldiers) Can FRS 142 outmaneuver the Army?

Gulf Wars – GPS Advancement DESERT STORM Reports via radio, plots on paper map 9% precision guided Time lapse pinpointing targets Strategic navigation IRAQI FREEDOM GPS radio automatic, digital screen maps 70% precision guided Target coordinates acquired via GPS Tactical Navigation

Tactical Uses Navigation Target Designation Artillery/mortar guidance Battlefield coordination

Achilles’ Heel? Dependence on technology What if it can be taken away? –Jamming –Spoofing –Hacking Double edged sword –Public availability

Jammers in Iraq “If a country has a Radio Shack, it will have a jammer.” Russian jammers –Can block signal acquisition from 124 miles away, clear LOS –But not once the signal has been acquired The bomb still falls.

Counterjamming Jammer emits a signal = death “nulling” antenna arrays G-STAR redirects the missile’s receiver Ground troops more crude

The Double Edged Sword Whose GPS is it, anyway? A competent opponent could use it against us Indeed, could FRS 142 defeat an army? –Turn off selective availability But still fairly accurate –Not enough for a cruise missile, but so what? Some encoding is possible

Galileo Lives Europe’s bitter –Want their own 30- satellite constellation Problems –Greater availability to the enemy –Access not restricted at all Top notch accuracy

Benefits and Dangers Top benefit: 95% urban availability –Currently more like 55% Top danger: availability to enemy forces –Even Europe could become the enemy –China might get involved… Current solution: –Gripe about it and beg Europe not to do it My Solution: Satellites with missiles to shoot down the enemy GPS satellites.

FUTURE Complete battlefield digitization –Force XXI Battle Command, Battle and Below (FBCB2) Soldier as a complete unit –Land Warrior

FBCB2 Touch screen battle control Total battlefield awareness Elimination of friendly fire

Digitized Divisions 2001 Exercises at Fort Irwin –Red Team falls to digital Blue Team IV Infantry Division –Almost saw fighting in Iraqi Freedom

Land Warrior Completely integrated soldiers Urban combat advantages Most deadly soldiers in history Fewer troops needed, fewer troops lost

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