(Stuf4) wrote:
You could likewise argue that Air Force strategic bombers had no need
for GPS because they had INS supplemented with TACAN and RADAR.

The behavior of the USAF across it's history supports that argument,
they were a latecomer to GPS, not an early adopter. The bombers
depended on radar and visual sightings once they entered the bombing
run. One suspects their involvement was more attributeable to
politics (increasing the accuracy of manned bombers increases their
viability, and being involved in a program that was in space but not
USAF controlled) as any desire for accuracy.

Notice that even today the space shuttle is involved with a GPS
upgrade. For every flight to date it had multiple INS with multiple
TACAN. If this was deemed reliable and accurate enough then the GPS
conversion would be a complete waste of time and money.

Now talk to the astronauts and see how badly the want GPS.

They want it because it's available. There was certainly no such
clamor during the design phase.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.