Ground-Based Radio Aids to Navigation

Abstract

Ground-basbd aids provide fixes independent of the vehicle's previous history, and often result in relatively low vehicular equipment cost. The present status of the major systems is reviewed. It is concluded that, for the forseeable future, the requirement for ground-based aids will continue. The “lock-and-key” relationship of ground equipment to vehicular equipment makes for slow system changes; thus, while advantage must be taken of every new electronic development, the most pressing need is to apply these developments to existing systems, retaining some compatibility, rather than the development of entirely new systems. This particularly applies to the tactical aircraft field.