The Federal Radionavigation Plan
The U.S. Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) is jointly published every two years by the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. Publication of the FRP is required by law. The FRP sets forth the official U.S. Government policy on management, operating plans, and transition schedules for all U.S. Government -operated, common-use (civil and military) radionavigation systems. Also included in the FRP are requirements information, summaries of radionavigation research and development programs, and technical system-level descriptions. Systems covered in the FRP include the Global Positioning System (GPS) and its augmentations; VOR/DME; TACAN; ILS and MLS; Loran-C; Omega; and marine and aeronautical radiobeacons. For the past several editions, the FRP has broadened its scope to address the needs of civil users of radionavigation systems beyond the traditional marine and aviation spheres. The FRP now addresses the growing applications of GPS for land vehicles; surveying and mapping; weather research; precise time and network synchronization; space applications; and many other uses.
The major new issues addressed in the latest edition of the FRP (1999) include plans for GPS modernization, including two additional GPS signals for civil use; a revised schedule the transition to GPS; a revised schedule for the continued operation of Loran-C; revised schedules for the phase-down of civil aeronautical navaids; use of the USCG Maritime Differential GPS (MDGPS), declared fully operational on March 15, 1999; and status of Nationwide DGPS (NDGPS), the GPS augmentation planned primarily for land use in the U.S. The FRP also addresses the policy impact of the vulnerability of GPS to disruptions, and identifies solutions to help mitigate the effects of a GPS service disruption.
The Volpe Center develops the Federal Radionavigation Plan under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy (OST/P). Copies of the Federal Radionavigation Plan can be ordered free of charge from the Volpe Center. To get your name on the mailing list for the latest FRP, please send a fax with your complete address to James Carroll, Center for Navigation, Volpe Center at 617/494-2628. The latest FRP can also be accessed at the USCG NAVCEN web site.
For more information contact James Carroll at carrollj@volpe.dot.gov.
