Detailed Justification for the Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Program
What Do I Need To Know Before Reading This Justification?
The Positioning,
Navigation and Timing (PNT) Program is the sole means by which the Federal
Government defines and implements civil sector PNT requirements. The
Secretary of Transportation is assigned this role by National Security
Presidential Directive, and includes all Federal, state and local government
needs for GPS and its augmentations, as well as those of the private
sector. The PNT Program is essential to ensuring that critical infrastructures
have the primary and back-up PNT systems upon which they depend for daily
operations, as well as identifying and pursuing gaps and research needed to
meet these requirements, to enable future systems such as Next Gen, Positive
Train Control, and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
DOT and DoD, in conjunction with 29 other
departments and agencies, recently completed the National PNT Architecture
Implementation Plan which identifies over 40 tasks to be accomplished to
overcome capability gaps predominantly resulting from the limitations of GPS.
What Is The Request And What
Will We Get For The Funds?
FY 2012 Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Program (PNT)
Budget Request
($000)
PNT Policy
Coordination |
115 |
300 |
185 |
National PNT
Architecture |
275 |
650 |
375 |
Civil GPS
Service Interface Committee |
10 |
50 |
40 |
Total |
$400 |
$1,000 |
$600 |
The request is for $1M to enable DOT to serve
as the lead for PNT requirements, architecture development, and GPS
acquisition, development, and operations for all United States Government civil
departments and agencies.
This program produces the Federal
Radionavigation Plan, Civil PNT Requirements Document, chairs the Civil GPS
Service Interface Committee, and advances the National PNT Architecture in
conjunction with the Department of Defense and other government agencies to
close identified PNT capability gaps and provide more efficient and effective
capabilities.
- Hold meetings of the
Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) Working Group to finalize 2012 FRP content
- Coordinate 2012 FRP through
DOT Extended Pos/Nav Working Group and Executive Committee
- Coordinate update to Civil
PNT Requirements Document with DOT Extended Pos/Nav Working Group
- Demonstrate ability to
close identified PNT capability gaps through implementation of the 2025
National PNT Architecture
- Hold U.S. and international
CGSIC meetings
|
- Publish the 2012 Federal Radionavigation Plan in
conjunction with DoD and DHS
- Produce updated Civil PNT
Requirements Document
- Provide a refined National
PNT Architecture Implementation Roadmap based on coordinated analysis
- Provide Summary Record of
CGSIC meetings on website
|
- Transportation industry and technology providers can make
business decisions on products to offer (or not offer) based on U.S.
Government plans for PNT capabilities and services
- Informed U.S. government and commercial decision making and
ability to support long range planning on alternative PNT sources that can be integrated with GPS
- Public knowledge of the status of GPS modernization and the
ability for it to satisfy civil PNT requirements
|
What Is This Program?
Strategic
Goals: Safety and environmental
sustainability.
Purpose/Beneficiaries: The purpose of this effort is to provide more effective and
efficient PNT capabilities, and an evolutionary path for government-provided
PNT systems and services. The beneficiaries
of this effort are civil departments and agencies in the development,
acquisition, management, and operations of GPS and other PNT services, and
external users of government-provided PNT services.
Partners: RITA serves as the civil lead of the National PNT Architecture
effort, a cross-modal interagency effort, to guide future PNT system-of-systems
investment and implementation decisions. This effort is conducted through the DOT Pos/Nav Working Group and
Executive Committee to coordinate with all modes within DOT. The DOT Extended Pos/Nav Working Group and
Executive Committee is DOT's PNT coordination process with other civil
agencies. The structure for this
coordination process is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Civil PNT Coordination Structure
Text Version
![Figure 1 Civil PNT Coordination Structure](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20161103002206im_/http://www.rita.dot.gov/sites/default/files/publications/budget_estimates/fy2012/images/orgchart.gif)
Description: The Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Program coordinates DOT
PNT technology, policy, as well as provides civil PNT systems analysis which is
critical to intermodal transportation applications in support of the DOT
Strategic Goals. The program coordinates
all civil sector PNT requirements and provides outreach to communities
associated with PNT plans and policy.
A general description of the work of the
program is provided below:
PNT Policy Coordination
- Provide
support to the Deputy Secretary of Transportation and Under Secretary of
Transportation for Policy with preparation of materials and briefings for their
participation as the co-chairs of the Space-Based PNT Executive Committee and
Executive Steering Group, respectively.
- Develop
the Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) as directed by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
1998 (10 U.S.C. 2281(c)). The FRP is developed biennially by DOT in conjunction
with DoD and DHS and is signed by the Secretaries of DOT, DoD, and DHS. The FRP reflects national policies and plans
for U.S. government radionavigation systems and is used as a reference document
both nationally and internationally.
- Provide
a Civil PNT Requirements Document which serves as the foundation for the
National PNT Architecture effort and allows program assessments to be performed
to determine if the capabilities of the National PNT Architecture meet the
needs of the civil community.
National PNT Architecture
- The
National PNT Architecture is based on the fact that PNT is integral to the
infrastructure on which the U.S. economy, national security and transportation
systems rely. The architecture provides a time-phased, fiscally informed
roadmap through 2025 of PNT activities, including needs for research and
development.
Civil GPS
Service Interface Committee (CGSIC)
- The
CGSIC is the recognized worldwide forum for effective interaction between all
civil GPS users and the U.S. GPS authorities. RITA chairs the CGSIC and the Coast Guard
serves as Deputy Chair.
Prior
Year Accomplishments:
- Address
the issue of emerging low-cost GPS jammers from both a technical and regulatory
standpoint. Work with the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) on a GPS threat assessment for transportation
applications of GPS, as well as a National Risk Assessment for applications of
GPS.
- Release
of the 2011 DOT Spectrum Plan. RITA will
also participate in the Interagency Radio Advisory Committee and represent the
DOT position in proceedings involving other agencies such as the Federal
Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration of the Department of Commerce.
- Development
of the draft of 2012 Federal Radionavigation Plan.
- Assessment
of research and develop efforts as identified in the National PNT Architecture
Plan.
Why Is This Particular Program Necessary?
The National Security Presidential Directive on
Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Policy gives the Secretary of
Transportation broad responsibilities in providing for and implementing PNT services
for the civil community. This policy
ensures that the U.S. maintains space-based positioning, navigation, and timing
services, augmentation, back-up, and complementary capabilities. Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
capabilities are critical for the Next Generation Air Transportation System,
Intelligent Transportation Systems, and Positive Train Control. In 2001, the
Volpe Center released a study entitled Vulnerability
Assessment of the Transportation Infrastructure Relying on the Global
Positioning System http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31300/31379/17_2001_Volpe_GPS_Vulnerability_Study.pdf
In the nine years since that study was
released, little has been done to implement solutions that address these
vulnerabilities.
DOT, as the lead civil agency for PNT, has the
opportunity to continue to partner with the Department of Defense to advance
research on alternative PNT technologies that can be integrated with GPS to
meet multiple user needs as identified in the National PNT Architecture
Implementation Plan. This allows for
long range planning through 2025 and the ability to make informed decisions on
PNT capabilities based on solid technical and cost information.
How Do You Know
the Program Works?
Before the National PNT Architecture effort was
formed, the U.S. Government had an ad hoc approach to developing and providing PNT capabilities. There was no coordinated research,
duplication of efforts, and capability gaps that no agency was addressing. There also was little recognition of the
synergies of PNT needs across civil, military, and homeland security
communities. These are identified the
National PNT Architecture Study Report from 2008. http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31300/31341/06_2008_National_PNT_Architecture_Study_Final_Report.pdf.
The National PNT Architecture effort works
because it recognizes that PNT is integral to the infrastructure on which the
U.S. economy, national security and transportation systems rely.
DOT and DOD, in conjunction with 29 other
departments and agencies, recently completed the National PNT Architecture
Implementation Plan which identifies tasks to be accomplished to overcome
capability gaps resulting from the limitations of GPS.
Why Do We Want/Need To Fund The Program At The Requested Level?
USDOT requires funds at the requested level to
fulfill its responsibilities as the lead civil agency for PNT. Technical and cost analysis is needed for the
Department to make informed decisions on alternative sources of PNT to
integrate with GPS.
History
of PNT Funding and Out Year Needs: FY 2010
$.400M; FY 2012 $1M.