"The fact that everyone has piggybacked on GPS and found wonderful ways to use it doesn't change the fact that it is a US military funded, developed, and maintained system. It's a weapon system! We get to play with it for free, and thats great, but our contribution is in our tax money that goes to the military, not in funding GPS via FAA user fees or whatever. "


I agree that GPS is a military system. Two military systems really. one Russian and the other American. That being said, GPS has become a critical part of our infrastructure and the military and our government recognize this. There are laws and policies in place to protect the integrity of the system for civilian use;


"U.S. Policy Statement Regarding Civil GPS Availability
March 21, 2003

The United States Government recognizes that GPS plays a key role around the world as part of the global information infrastructure and takes seriously the responsibility to provide the best possible service to civil and commercial users worldwide. This is as true in times of conflict as it is in times of peace.

The U.S. Government also maintains the capability to prevent hostile use of GPS and its augmentations while retaining a military advantage in a theater of operations without disrupting or degrading civilian uses outside the theater of operations.

We believe we can ensure that GPS continues to be available as an invaluable global utility at all time, while at the same time, protecting U.S. and coalition security requirements."

This was pulled from the following site, that has lots of additional info: http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/modernization/sa/