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| Global Personnel Recovery System |
 The Global Personnel Recovery System is a joint DoD/civil initiative to develop and deploy the first global, near-real-time, two-way data transfer system capable of supporting PR/SAR operations. Over two dozen separate government agencies are involved in this initiative. The lead technical agency for the DoD is the JPRA, reporting directly to CINCJFCOM. The lead for the civil community is NASA, acting for the NSARC, which is chaired by the Coast Guard. The GPRS capability can be applied to multiple mission areas across civil and other government organizations, such as DoD personnel recovery, civil SAR, SAR aircraft and vehicle tracking, and command and control of recovery assets.
The GPRS is designed to fully meet a Joint Requirements Oversight Council-approved 1992 Mission Need Statement by improving OTH communication, providing 24-hour global availability, and providing a ground response infrastructure to support various military, government and public users. The GPRS provides DoD or civilian search and rescue personnel with the capability to quickly identify and accurately locate people in need of rescue services anywhere in the world. The system also satisfies public search and rescue requirements as conveyed by NSARC.
The GPRS is an evolving, worldwide, OTH tracking, tagging, locating/two-way messaging system based on utilizing commercially available space assets and eventually adding new capabilities to the present Global Positioning System. Providing true pole-to-pole, 24/7 communications and geolocation capability, GPRS will address key deficiencies in the present tactical space architecture. Designed for highly mobile users, such as special operations forces and agency elements, combat survivor/evaders, and also for remote/ OTH sensing and C4ISR uses, the system encompasses user-radios, satellites, earth stations, and command and control infrastructures at several levels.
 Existing communications and collection systems have restricted geographic and temporal coverage. This can exclude certain users at various times, despite their individual urgent needs. Coverage at high northern and southern latitudes and certain other areas is limited, and requires special tasking of high-value assets to support contingencies as simple as accurately locating a downed aircrew, or as complex as tracking widely deployed forces. The purpose of GPRS is to connect selected groups of users to each other at any distance, via simple digital messaging. Information sent may include position, identification and/or short messages or sensor data, all time-stamped. A key ability to link mobile and fixed surface users, airborne users, and command/control elements at any distance allows flexible, nearly instantaneous communications among users anywhere via space-based relay. GPRS was employed in Operation Iraqi Freedom with great success.
Innovative Solutions International, Inc. is the prime contractor responsible for development of this critical capability for DoD. It is our distinct privilege to be working with the government in this area. |
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