Jun. 16, 2020

The Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act contains language attempting to slow the rollout of Ligado Network’s use of the L-band spectrum, which defense officials say will harm GPS capabilities.

The bill language, revealed in a summary Thursday, “prohibits the use of [Department of Defense] funds to comply with the [Federal Communications Commission] Order on Ligado until the Secretary of Defense submits an estimate of the costs associated with the resulting GPS interference.”

It also directs the defense secretary to put the National Academies of Science and Engineering on contract for “an independent technical review of the order to provide additional technical evaluation to review Ligado’s and DOD’s approaches to testing,” something that has become a focal point for outside groups concerned about Ligado’s plan.

The legislation represents follow-through from Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman who has been among the most vocal opponents of the Ligado approval. Both Inhofe and his Democratic counterpart, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, have raised concerns about Ligado’s potential impact on the military’s use of GPS.

In an April 20 vote, the FCC unanimously supported Ligado’s request to use the L-band spectrum, despite heavy opposition from the DoD and other government agencies, as well as commercial trade groups, which believe the Ligado plan will damage the usability of GPS. On May 22, the federal government formally requested the FCC reconsider its position, but analysts do not expect such a reversal.

Read the full story at C4ISRNET