The Washington Defense News Digest Today.
Alarmed at the possibility of hostile foreign interference with their SatNav systems as well as the burgeoning cost of implementing and maintaining secure downlinks to their devices, The US Military is planning a programme to instead teach its personnel how to use a compass, read paper maps, and also to understand distance and contours and also country names and their locations in the World.
The estimated cost of the training programme, which will likely be a 2 week duration classroom and field based course for all new recruits to branches of the Military, is being budgeted to be in the order of $1 Billion dollars spread over the next 5 years and has been put out to tender for 3rd party suppliers to submit proposals.
According to Pentagon sources, it is understood that a Chinese consortium is currently favoured to win the contract.