The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has issued a guide on best approaches to services for positioning, navigation and timing, or PNT, for critical infrastructure. Julie Brewer, acting DHS under secretary for science and technology, called the guide’s release “a major milestone” for the directorate’s promotion of PNT resilience among infrastructure owners and operators.
“S&T is committed to provide guidance that helps organizations deploy PNT responsibly, manage risks effectively and build resilience against ever-emerging threats,” said Brewer, former deputy S&T under secretary who was appointed to her new DHS role in January.
Approaches to Policies, Tools & Deployment
The 47-page guidebook, titled Best Practices for Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing Supporting Critical Infrastructure, covers recommendations for organizational policies, technology solutions and deployment of PNT services in various critical infrastructures, such as communications networks, financial systems, emergency response, utilities and transportation.
The guide illustrates best practices through specific PNT technologies, such as Global Positioning System and Global Navigation Satellite System. It also provides specific use cases of PNT security principles, including stationary timing and moving platform.
The risk assessments and PNT principles’ applications in the guidebook can enhance how organizations develop, acquire and deploy PNT tools, DHS S&T said.
Besides DHS, the Department of Transportation is undertaking efforts to enhance PNT resilience. In July, DOT awarded contracts valued at over $7.2 million for nine companies to work under its Complementary PNT Action Plan for real-world field tests on their PNT technologies.
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