LEIF LARSON: Satellite-Based GPS Becoming National Security Problem
Airfind news item
By Leif Larson
Published on April 10, 2026.
The US needs a resilient, terrestrial complement and backup to GPS, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems, to compete with other developed nations like China and Russia. These systems are increasingly susceptible to jamming and spoofing, a vulnerability that has been brought to prominence amid geopolitical conflicts and the rise of electronic warfare. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is working to establish a spectrum framework that would enable the deployment of a terrestrial GPS system, a key Trump priority. The FCC's approach involves market-driven innovation rather than government-directed central planning, rather than taxpayer funded infrastructure buildouts. The technology developed by NextNav is powered by low-band licensed spectrum and there is sufficient band space to allow this tech without interfering with other users of the spectrum. The speed the FCC has moved towards an NPRM is remarkable, with multiple government shutdowns and issues distracting the FCC from its core mission.
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