Coast Guard increasing protection for civilian GPS.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Security Beat

The U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up its efforts to protect civilian use of the Global Positioning System, which has become a key element of the nation's transportation network, from attack by terrorists and unintentional disruptions.

A study by the Transportation Department--which currently includes the Coast Guard--found that GPS is vulnerable to disruption by intentional and unintentional forces. The nations enemies, in an act of war, could attack U.S. satellites or jam GPS signals, the study said. Unintentional stoppages, it added, could be caused by atmospheric distortions, signal blockage from tall buildings, and interference from television broadcasts, personal pagers and cell phones.

The problem is likely to grow worse over the next two decades, when global maritime trade is forecast to double and perhaps triple, officials said.

To protect the system, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Minera this year announced an action plan, including the following steps:

* Increase cooperation with the Defense Department to prevent attacks against GPS.

* Speed up the transfer of anti-jamming technology from military to civilian use.

* Conduct industry outreach to develop receiver-performance standards.

* Produce education programs to educate GPS users about the system's vulnerabilities.

* Continue to modernize GPS with the implementation of new civilian signals.

* Ensure that adequate backup radio-navigational systems are maintained.

* Identify the most appropriate mix of such systems for all modes of transportation for the next 10 years and beyond.

To improve the robustness and reliability of GPS service, two new signals are being added for civilian use at a cost of $400 million. The new signals will be on satellites to be launched in 2003 and 2005.

Plans are being developed to require large ships, within the next few years, to carry Automated Information Systems that will show not only their locations, but those of all the ships around them, said Capt. Curt Dubay...