Being a news junkie and a science buff, I am often both confused and upset when connecting the dots. This is one of those times. The December, 2019 issue of Scientific American has an article about GPS’s importance and how it works. I don’t pretend to know how it works but the article cites previous examples of how the GPS system has been taken over by those wanting to control the system.

In 2004, the government was directed to build a ground based GPS system which could be used as a back-up in case the space based system was hacked or destroyed. Most advanced countries have one including Russia, China, and Iran. As usual, in the U.S., nothing was done because it isn’t something showy.

Now connect the dots to today’s geopolitical situation with Iran, North Korea, China, Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, and a few others. All of those countries plus numerous terrorist groups have or can buy, $5,000, the simple technology to bring a part or the whole system down. Maybe they just take down the part that controls the thousand or so airliners that are in the air that depend on GPS to find the airport and correct runway. Apparently jets don’t have compasses anymore.

Apparently a laptop with spoofing software near an airport can cause pilots huge problems especially at night. Somehow the same program could damage our financial system. You don’t have to understand how GPS interacts with almost all technology, just know we would be in a real mess and not know who or why it was done. Even my flip phone would be affected. Tell your Representative and Senator to fast-track the ground based GPS as a National Emergency, because it is!