U.S. Departments of Defense, Transportation, and Homeland Security Release 2008 Federal Radionavigation Plan

RITA 2-09
February 24, 2009
Contact Kim Riddle
(202) 366-5128
U.S. Departments of Defense, Transportation, and Homeland Security Releas=
e 2008 Federal=20
Radionavigation Plan
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/frp2008/2008_Federal_Radionavigation_P=
lan.pdf

The 2008 Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) has been released by the U.S.=
Departments of=20
Transportation, Defense, and Homeland Security. Published jointly by th=
e three=20
departments, the plan describes federal policy for operating and regulati=
ng common-use=20
radionavigation systems with the goal of improving both national security=
and the safety=20
and efficiency of the nation=E2=80=99s transportation system.

The federal government operates radionavigation systems such as the Globa=
l Positioning=20
System (GPS) to enable safe transportation and encourage commerce within =
the United States=20
=2E The FRP outlines the policy and plan for operating federal radionavi=
gation systems used=20
in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) applications and suggests ho=
w existing=20
systems may be consolidated and improved. It also aims to strengthen the=
mix of civil and=20
military systems that will advance the nation=E2=80=99s transportation in=
frastructure by=20
increasing its capacity to move people and products safely and efficientl=
y.

Systems addressed in the plan include: GPS and GPS Augmentations Long Ran=
ge Navigation=20
(Loran) Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni-directional Range (VOR) Distance M=
easuring=20
Equipment (DME) Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) Instrument Landing System=
(ILS) Microwave=20
Landing System (MLS) and Aeronautical Nondirectional Radiobeacons (NDB).

The new plan replaces the 2001 Federal Radionavigation Systems (FRS) docu=
ment, a companion=20
document to the FRP, and the 2005 FRP. The first FRP was released in 198=
0. The FRP is=20
available online at:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/frp2008/2008_Federal_Radionavigation_P=
lan.pdf