http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/cahners/11368/4169058/30

I believe that the electric utilities depend on the GPS system to some extent, though I am certainly no expert. Perhaps someone with more knowledge can help on this item. It sounds a little scary.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 1999

Answers

From the Jane's Defence Weekly article:

"Among the military equipment that use the uncorrected receivers to navigate with pinpoint accuracy in all weather are US Navy (USN) Tomahawk cruise missiles... [...] If the time and date generated by receivers are wrong, the position estimates will be widely inaccurate."

A sobering thought there.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 1999

Mike, according to Rick Cowles in his interview onsite at:

http://www.cbn.org/y2k

most utilities are now aware of the GPS problem and are dealing with it. He also mentioned there are other ways to do time synchronization of the grid. From what I've read recently the GPS problem is expected to be greatest in small municipalities who might not be aware of the need to adjust for the rollover in August, smaller shipping lines, overseas areas where awareness is lower, and on the individual level. It's not a complicated problem to fix, it just takes awareness of the need to do so.

The military is certainly aware, they just have more areas which need upgrading. I personally think they're on top of the GPS problem. Can't say I'm very confident about their Y2K efforts, though!

-- Anonymous, January 14, 1999