The new, powerful GPS III satellites are a marked improvement over their predecessors, providing three times more accuracy and up to eight times more anti-jamming power.
"We expect the FCC to resolve Department of Defense concerns before moving forward, as required by law," the Big Four defense authorizers write in this commentary. "If they do not, and unless President Trump intervenes to stop this from moving forward, it will be up to Congress to clean up this mess."
By Sen. Jim Inhofe, Sen. Jack Reed, Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. Mac Thornberry
The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a long-standing application from Ligado Networks to operate in the L-band spectrum, overriding concerns from the Department of Defense and other government agencies which were concerned the company’s plan will cause damage to the Global Positioning System, sources said April 17.
The Pentagon and other government agencies have fought for years to keep Ligado Networks from getting approval to use L-Band spectrum, but that fight appears to be on its last legs.