eLoran: An International Perspective

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eLoran An International Perspective

• Sir Jeremy de HalpertExecutive Chairman, Trinity
  House, UK
• Dr Sally BaskerGeneral Lighthouse Authorities of
  the UK and Ireland

Prepared for the US National Space-Based PNT
Executive Committee Advisory Board, Washington
DC, 14 May 2009
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Contents

• Background
• Policy Perspective
• Commercial Perspective
• Risk Perspective
• Conclusions

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The General Lighthouse Authorities of the United
Kingdom and Ireland

• The General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) have
  the statutory responsibility for the provision of
  marine aids to navigation (AtoNs) around the
  coasts of the UK and Ireland
• The GLAs operate in a user-pays cost-recovery
  environment
• The GLAs shared mission is the delivery of a
  reliable, efficient and cost effective AtoN
  service for the benefit and safety of all mariners

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Why eLoran?

• Over-reliance on GPS in the maritime sector is
  increasing with reversionary skills disappearing
• The GLAs requirement is for an independent,
  dissimilar, multi-modal, interoperable complement
  to GPS available during long-term GPS service
  outages over wide areas
• eLoran is the only credible and cost-effective
  option that can be declared operational in a
  timely fashion
• Necessary preparation for e-Navigation

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The UK eLoran station

• De-manned
• Contractor operated with 15-year contract
• Replacement transmitter scheduled
• Already providing real-time DGPS, DLoran UTC

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Existing Loran Chayka stations are well-placed
for maritime operations
Loran (Red), Chayka (Green), Worlds 50 Busiest
Cargo Ports (Blue)
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Policy Perspective

• Radionavigation services are and will continue to
  be vital to the Worlds safety, security and
  economic well-being
• The US is the dominant player and any statements
  made are treated at face value and with the
  utmost importance
• The FRP is held in high esteem because it is the
  basis of the confidence that has led to the
  deployment of GPS in much of the Worlds critical
  infrastructure

Date Statement / Activity Pro Loran?
2007 Federal Register Notice on Loran ?
Oct 2007 Independent Assessment Teams eLoran Study ?
Feb 2008 DHS Press Release starting implementation of eLoran ?
25 Feb 2009 2008 Federal Radionavigation Plan ?
26 Feb 2009 OMB announced intention to decommission Loran-C !?
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Commercial Perspective - Supply Demand
The Benefit of a Positive, Stable Policy
Environment The February 2008 US DHS announcement
proved what had always been expected a positive
policy statement would stimulate the supply and
demand for eLoran

• Supply
• Public sector, companies and venture capitalists
  have provided capital
• New transmitters, receivers, and system elements
• Demand for Robust PNT based on awareness of GNSS
  vulnerability
• Telecommunications, General aviation, land mobile
• Maritime professional, recreational as well as
  search and rescue
• Defence, homeland security, law enforcement

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Commercial Perspective - Lost-opportunity cost

• GPS has led, rightly, to the decommissioning of
  almost all radionavigation systems that can
  provide PNT
• The strategic value of an independent,
  cross-sector, dissimilar, interoperable
  radionavigation system providing robust PNT
  increases every time another system is
  decommissioned or a GPS jamming event occurs
• Consequently, the lost opportunity cost of
  decommissioningLoran-C and not transitioning to
  eLoran is likely to increase exponentially
  year-on-year

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Risk Perspective - GPS denial

• 1.5W GPS Jammer

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Risk Perspective - Reversion following loss

• GPS-related industrial and user benefits include
  manning efficiency savings from system
  integration and automation
• Reliance on new concept of operations
• Benefits are economic and, in some cases, safety
  and security
• Reversion to previous concept of operations
  almost impossible
• Need to recognise when reversion required
• Need for more and better skilled people who are
  trained and practice
• Example Marine navigation

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Conclusions

• Transition to eLoran
• Welcomed worldwide
• Funding availability, industry will respond,
  users will equip
• eLoran is comparable to GPS and capable of
  satisfying the demand for robust PNT from land,
  sea, air and telecoms markets
• Retro-fitting opportunity will stimulate
  creativity, innovation and sales
• Potential cost-savings from rationalising other
  backup systems
• The US is well-placed to realise a return on its
  investment
• Any other decision is the same as termination

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Necessary steps for establishing a successful
eLoran service

• Positive, stable policy statement with long-term
  commitment
• Realistic plan with commitment to delivery
• Continuity of funding guaranteed
• Continuity of service demonstrated to build
  confidence
• Open, published performance specification
• Open, published signal-in-space interface control
  document

These are generic. They are as true for eLoran
as they are for GPS or Galileo