HL Deb 31 May 1995 vol 564 c73WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have examined the United States Administration's intention to develop "Navigation Warfare" (i.e. "systems and concepts to deny any potential enemy the use of navigation information, including the Global Positioning System, while assuring access to these information systems by US forces" (Aviation Week, 20th March 1995)), and what would be the implications of such a development for the independent use of British systems.

Lord Henley

We are aware of concern in the United States over access by a potential enemy to the enhanced navigation accuracy provided by systems such as the US Global Positioning System and of the intention of the US to retain their military advantage in this field by denying that level of availability to the enemy.

The concerns expressed by the US are shared by my department and other NATO nations who have been granted access under a Memorandum of Understanding to the more accurate Global Positioning System Precise Positioning Service, which is not available to unauthorised users. We do not expect this service to be degraded as a result of any US intention to inhibit further the accuracy of the system.