Senators back celestial navigation for all Navy personnel

Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) are pushing the Navy to teach all its sailors the ultimate backup plan in case of navigation systems sabotage — celestial navigation. 

The pair sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Raymond Mabus, Jr. asking why the celestial training was only being taught to some, but not all, personnel.

{mosads}“Though celestial and nautical navigation skills are more challenging to acquire, they are absolutely critical for our sailors,” they wrote.

Navy boats — and most navigation systems worldwide — rely on the Global Positioning System run by the U.S. Air Force. But GPS operates on low-power satellite broadcasts that are not difficult to jam. 

This academic year, the Naval Academy began teaching celestial navigation again, the first time since 2006. The centuries-old practice of telling location by star locations is less susceptible to mechanical malfunction. 

“We owe it to our sailors, enlisted and officer, to ensure these skills are being taught and our sailors are being held to the highest standard before we send them to the fleet,” the senators wrote in their letter. “It is imperative that this standard is kept throughout the service.”