Vehicular Land Navigation System C1

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Lang

...


GPS needs no introduction. It is so universal that attacking GPS satellites or creating spurious signals other than in a small local area is as counterproductive to the attacker as the defender. Everything uses it. It would appear that GPS will be treated like gas warfare - everybody has the capability to do bad things with it but by mutual agreement it is off-limits.

Although they have their own system, turning off US satellites over Russia in a conflict, or programming them not to talk to certain receivers, so the Russians can not use them will not happen because the Russians have the capability to knock down the satellites. Everybody loses. GPS has just become a modern version of the earth's magnetic field available to everyone.

The conventional GPS constellation is a USAF controlled asset used by everyone. The signal is unencrypted now, but it can be switched on selectively for military purposes. There was a story a week or two ago about Uber cabs and personal navigators going wonky in Russia for a period. No one wanted to say it out loud, but my suspicion is the US was retaliating to Russia for some of the latest Luke Warm War conflicts over cyber attacks.

[Lang]

Terry

I don't know if you remember but when GPS first came in (with lots of empty spots) the US only allowed high definition to the military and civilian (or foreign military) received a reduced accuracy. Still enough for general navigation but insufficient for such things as close instrument approaches by aircraft or survey calculations.

This of course has now all changed and the day of the surveyor's chainman have gone and you see them wandering around by themselves with a stick holding a GPS receiver for accuracy within inches.

As I said, in the event of a conflict, USA would have to have a serious think about messing with the satellite signals or they stand the risk of losing the lot - permanently

You may be right about the recent Russian problems but I have my doubts USA would risk such an asset in so petty a matter. A bit like killing the roses of the next door neighbour anonymously because their dog barks.

If they messed with the signals they would have to remember that at any time there are dozens of international airliners tracking over Russia using GPS and, although they have back-up systems they certainly would have reported it en mass.

Just my take on the matter.

Lang

[Mike Cecil]

The CDN Navaid C1 was trialed in Australia for installation in AFVs, specifically Centurion.

The Gyro unit was placed behind the driver's position, replacing an internal stowage bin. The crew commander had the main read-out and adjusting component installed into the underside of the turret roof, asjacent to his cupolam and the driver had a simple bearing indicator in his compartment. The 'map plotter' was not installed for the Australian trials.

It was not accepted for service.

Mike

[David Dunlop]

Roughly when was the trial done, Mike? The British evaluation took place in 1961 when the system was apparently 'Experimental'. I'm not certain if that designation applied to a product still under development in Canada, or a product that was new and in production in Canada at that time and the British were simply 'experimenting with it'.

I am curious if the system had enough merit to attract foreign buyers or was just another Canadian development that never got beyond limited Canadian production/use.


David

[Mike Cecil]

David,

Mid-60s, around the time that the British/Dutch IR system was being integrated into the Australian Centurion.

Mike