GPS Tracking

At the turn of the 21th century, Global Positioning Systems finally began reaching its full potential as it burst on to the technological scene with truly practical applications for the new millennium.

A National Policy for GPS

With the NAVSTAR at Full Operational Capability by April 1995, GPS was beginning to capture the attention and imagination of the international community. On March 16, 1995, President Bill Clinton issued a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organization restating the United States’ commitment to providing GPS capability to civilians around the world.

In 1996, Clinton went even further by issuing a formal policy directive that ensured GPS’ future as a dual-use system. The policy review was conducted jointly by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council and issued as a directive of the National Science and Technology Council. The goals of the policy were outlined as follows:

1. Strengthen and maintain our national security.
2. Encourage acceptance and integration of GPS into peaceful civil, commercial and scientific applications worldwide.
3. Encourage private sector investment in and use of U.S. GPS technologies and services.
4. Promote safety and efficiency in transportation and other fields.
5. Promote international cooperation in using GPS for peaceful purposes.
6. Advance U.S. scientific and technical capabilities.

Under this policy, management of GPS capability was divided among three national agencies. The U.S. Department of Defense would continue to acquire, operate and maintain the basic GPS and coordinate with other agencies on national security implications of the technology. The U.S. Department of Transportation took the lead in all federal civil GPS matters and the development of transportation and commercial applications. The U.S. Department of State would work with foreign governments in assessing bilateral or multilateral guidelines on the provision and use of GPS services and coordinate interagency reviews of international agreements.

The policy authorized the creation of an Interagency GPS Executive Board, jointly chaired by the departments of defense and transportation, to help integrate the needs and findings of all of the involved agencies and act as a consultant for U.S. governmental agencies, industries and foreign governments. (more…)

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