IP: excuse me -- "it was found that many troops were using over-the-counter GPS"

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> To: dave () farber net
> cc: mo () ccr org
> Subject: "it was found that many troops were using over-the-counter GPS"
> Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 19:58:26 -0500
>
> excuse me:
>
> the reason troops were using COTS GPS receivers is because the DoD was
> buying them in bulk to give to troops.  the DoD versions were
> considered way too expensive to stockpile for everyone like they would
> need to do, and besides, they couldn't get delivery of thousands of
> units in the time available, no how, no way.
>
> frankly, it was a miracle that the civilian GPS business has developed
> like it has and the COTS units were available, otherwise, the Gulf war
> might have gone very differently.  it certainly would have been fought
> with *very* different tactics.
>
> btw - Heidi Heiden, the same chap who made the decision for MILNET to
> go TCP/IP instead of OSI was also the person who demanded that GPS
> receivers be man-packable or smaller.  When Heidi did that, the
> Magnavox units filled a jeep. Heidi was the Army guy who was champion
> for what was referred to as "the ground segment" of the GPS system.
> the Air Force satellite designers didn't see anything wrong with the
> receivers being that big.
>
> so every time you use IP/TCP or a hand-held GPS, you can thank the
> same guy for getting the technology off the briefing slides and into a
> real day-job.
>
> I worked for Heidi at UUNET for several years.
>
>         cheers,
>         -mo
>
> PS - COTS - Common Off The Shelf - DoD for "Buy, don't build"
> this is in sharp distinction to "Why use Lead when Gold will do?"

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