Why the World Is Searching for GPS Alternatives
GPS alternatives are drawing unprecedented attention as critical infrastructure, military strategy, and daily convenience depend heavily on the Global Positioning System. Yet, the vulnerabilities of GPS—such as disruptions from jamming, spoofing, or even natural interference—have prompted governments and industries worldwide to accelerate the search for robust positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions.
Critical Risks of Overreliance on GPS
Most importantly, GPS is indispensable but not infallible. The United States has become acutely aware that depending on a single PNT source creates a single point of failure. As threats of interference—both deliberate and accidental—rise, so does the potential for economic and national security disruption if GPS is degraded or disabled. The Department of Defense and the Space Force have openly voiced concerns about the ease of GPS jamming, which has seen a rapid and worrying increase in recent years.[1]
The FCC’s Push for GPS Alternatives
Recognizing these mounting concerns, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a sweeping inquiry in early 2025 to foster GPS complements and alternatives. The initiative aims to crowdsource industry insight, incentivize innovation, and support the development of a resilient “system of systems” for PNT.[2][3]
Besides that, the FCC is actively considering how it can remove regulatory hurdles and support deployment of new PNT solutions. The goal is to ensure that critical operations—from emergency response to national defense—can continue seamlessly, even in the event of GPS disruption.
Policy Momentum and Bipartisan Support
There is growing bipartisan recognition in Washington that the nation’s infrastructure is overly dependent on GPS. President Trump’s 2020 Executive Order 13905, which directed increased resilience through responsible PNT services, was an early catalyst.[4] However, progress has been slow, partly because GPS has long been a free public utility and many users are unaware—or skeptical—of the need for alternatives.
Global Race: Other Countries Are Moving Fast
Other global powers, notably China and Russia, have already developed or deployed their own alternative PNT systems. This international movement underscores the urgency for the US to cultivate technology that reduces dependency on any one system.[3] The aviation sector, in particular, has begun to collaborate internationally to build authentication and anti-interference measures into satellite navigation.
Next-Generation PNT Technologies
What could come next in the race for GPS alternatives? Several promising technologies and strategies are emerging:
- eLoran: A modern terrestrial radio navigation system touted for its high resilience against spoofing and jamming.
- Satellite Constellation Diversity: Leveraging multiple global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) like Galileo (EU), GLONASS (Russia), and BeiDou (China).
- Terrestrial Network PNT: Telecommunications networks, including 5G, are being explored as alternative sources of timing and positioning data.
- Quantum Clocks: Advances in precise timing from atomic and quantum clocks could decentralize and strengthen timekeeping.
- Sensor Fusion: Hybrid approaches that combine satellites, terrestrial signals, and on-device sensors for greater redundancy and reliability.
Therefore, the future likely holds a mosaic of technologies working together, each shoring up gaps left by reliance on any single system.
What’s Next? Collaboration, Investment, and Public Awareness
The FCC and the FAA have both signaled strong intent to collaborate closely with the military, industry stakeholders, and international partners.[5] The challenge, though, remains in convincing users—from government agencies to private enterprises—to invest in or adopt these new solutions when GPS remains free and widely available.
In summary, the race for GPS alternatives is rapidly gaining momentum. With clear security risks and economic stakes, the world is actively building the next generation of resilient navigation and timing technologies. Over the coming years, public and private investment, cross-sector collaboration, and rising awareness will shape a smarter, safer future for how we find our way and keep our systems running.
References
- Changes in FCC rules to support GPS alternatives could impact DoD, Breaking Defense [1]
- FCC Launches Proceeding on GPS Alternatives, FCC [2]
- Promoting the Development of Complementary and Alternative PNT, FCC [3]
- FCC to Meet on GPS Alternatives, GPS World – RNTF [4]
- GPS alternatives to be discussed by FCC and FAA, Military Embedded Systems [5]
