Congress may salvage funding for the loran positioning system under two different spending proposals currently before Congress. The Obama administration’s proposed budget called for eliminating the system and drew protests from a number of different constituencies, many of whom said the system provides a crucial backup for Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.
From the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPAonline):
Establishing a reliable backup system for GPS is especially important given a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office that says delays in the development and launch of new satellites could lead to interruptions in GPS service as early as next year. An Independent Assessment Team (IAT) report released this year from the Institute for Defense Analyses recommends that the U.S. government complete its upgrade of loran, to eLoran, so that it can serve as a long-term backup for GPS.
