March 07, 2022
Russian threats a reminder of the need to protect GPS
Video and images of Russia’s illegitimate attempt to deny Ukrainian sovereignty have shocked the world – especially the gruesome attacks in civilian urban areas. But some of the war’s most strategic impacts may well occur in less physically observable domains: space and cyberspace.
The United States and its allies remain vulnerable to spoofing, denial and attack. While Russia’s ground forces may not have delivered the swift stroke Putin expected, its cyber capabilities could fare far better in a future fight and the West needs to be ready.
As we continue to observe Russia escalate this conflict, we must be prepared to understand the threats to our Global Positioning System capabilities, actively defend the GPS system, and work with partners and allies to creatively architect a way to deny hostile actors like Russia the benefits of jamming GPS.
While Russia’s ground forces may not have delivered the swift stroke Putin expected, its cyber capabilities could fare far better in a future fight and the West needs to be ready.
Russia has long identified U.S. reliance on space-based positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) as an asymmetric vulnerability to be denied early in any conflict with the West.Moscow assesses that the U.S. and its allies are reliant on GPS to conduct effective military operations while Russia can continue to rely on its own space-based PNT system, GLONASS, to provide them support. Recently, HawkEye360, a U.S.-based company which uses satellites to collect radio-frequency signals and provides data analytics services, reported extensive GPS interference activity over Ukraine.
Read the full article from Space News.
More from CNAS
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
CNAS Insights | American AI Exports Need a Sovereignty SolutionEarlier this month, the Department of Commerce opened applications for the American AI Exports Program, an ambitious effort to deploy American AI technology, tools, and infras...
By Ruby Scanlon & Vivek Chilukuri
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
How the Pentagon Can Manage the Risks of AI WarfareTo use AI effectively, militaries will need to not only harness the promise of AI but also grapple with its limitations and risks....
By Paul Scharre
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
Dutch Export Controls Don’t Go Far Enough on ChinaControlling the machines that make chips matters more than controlling any specific chip....
By Michelle Nie
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
China’s AI Is Spreading Fast. Here’s How to Stop the Security RisksThe first problem is not about China, but about AI as a technology: It is incredibly difficult to audit the global supply chain for AI software....
By Ryan Fedasiuk
