From: George Sherwood 

Ad wrote:

>
> Depends on whether that project then becomes a commercial one. I accept
> the US has always had problems with this wrt it's funding of Boeing by
> other means (e.g. disguising state aid as "military spending").

How is GPS a commercial venture?

>
>
> So encrypt the signals such that only mil systems can use it.

why?  This would increase the burden on military equipment and the intended
use of the GPS system.  Most military GPS aren't equipped with such gear.

>
> Ah here you're wandering all over the place. Surely Galileo was
> initially set up due to a political imperative which was to get an
> independant positioning system much like have an independant deterrant,
> independent reconnaissance system etc? Heck if it's such a vital mil
> imperative then it must be a state enterprise anyway so all this
> silliness over "private enterprise" is now simply drawing to a close.
>
> So by your reckoning one could define having a functioning large
> aircraft capability s a mil imperative (e.g. airbus) as is a functioning
> missile program (ergo Ariane)  etc.etc. Gee looks like the WTO is going
> to be out of business.

And that business would give away the aircraft?  The comparison between a
radio signal that is available and an aircraft/missile is just silly.
Trying to create an issue that isn't there.  Show me any case with the WTO
that would show that providing GPS as the US does violates anything.
 Even the EU hasn't attempted anything like that.


>
>
>>
>>> I am sure that the next stage will be to take the US mil to court in the
>>>   WTO etc. for offering a state sponsored free service &
thus "dumping".
>>>
>>>
>>> After all can't have illegal state aid on that sort of scale can we
>>> now....
>>
>> As I said above they will try to make that link, but they haven't won
>> against Boeing and this link is even weaker.
>>
>
> Easy way out george.....encrypt the signals so only mil tech can use GPS
> as after all it's a mil system & not a US state sponsored
> anti-competitive dumping strategy so as to maintain a monopoly....

Why?  Wouldn't a monopoly have to either use their leverage to raise prices
or take some action to keep competitors out of the business?  I don't see
either of those with GPS.  Providing a GPS system that any one can use
provides very little benefit to USG.

George

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