Page 1 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 7-10-15

Vol. 65 No. 27
July 10, 2015

GPS: Twenty years
of positioning,
navigation, timing

By Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis

99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — In the past,
leaving the house without an atlas or map full of
coordinates and colorful directions sometimes led to
the driver leading their passengers through an abyss
of twists and turns during a simple trip across town.

However, those days came to an end with the
explosion of the Global Positioning System 20 years
ago.

Today, GPS technology is highly relied on in most
areas of modern functionality. According to the
Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency, there
are four billion GPS-enabled devices worldwide.

It is often forgotten or unknown that GPS began as a

_______________________ See GPS, on page 3

U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis On July 17, 1995, the U.S. Air Force announced the
Global Positioning System had reached full operational
capability. GPS began as a military technology proving
it’s capabilities in 1990 and 1991 during Operations Desert
Shield and Desert Storm, and were relied on heavily by
allied troops to navigate the featureless deserts in Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. Since then, GPS technology has
been integrated into most areas of modern life. There are
approximately four billion GPS-enabled devices worldwide.

Test flight completed after F-35B modifications

By Micah Garbarino level short take off and vertical landing Base and zoomed to altitude before head- Witnessing the successful flight was
modifications were completed on two ing to the Utah Test and Training Range “eye-watering,” said Lt. Gen. Lee Levy II,
75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs F-35Bs for the Marine Corps. for a functional check. the commander of the Air Force Sustain-
ment Center.
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — The Lt. Col. Kevin Hall, a member of the As he returned to base, Hall converted
Ogden Air Logistics Complex completed 514th Flight Test Squadron and the first the versatile aircraft for short takeoff ver- The Marine Corps sent two F-35Bs to
an F-35B Lightning II functional check depot test pilot in the Air Force qualified tical landing operations and performed
flight here June 18, after the first depot- in the F-35B, took off from Hill Air Force a “short” landing and a “rolling” takeoff. ___________ See F-35B, on page 3

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