Recent Developments of Loran-C in Europe

Even if recent developments, both technical and political, are affecting the satellite GPS and GLONASS navigation systems, along, in conjunction, or with a possible civilian overlay via INMARSAT or other satellites, the time proven that Loran-C can be still a viable solution for many problems. The aims of this paper are twofold, to present a panorama of the most recent developments in the World and mostly in Europe, and to consider some technical aspects of two problems regarding the Mediterranean Sea chain. This chain is at moment based on four stations, two in Italy, one in Spain and in Turkey. The fate of the station in Turkey is known, in the sense that this station will not operate when the U.S. support will cease the future of the Spanish station it is not yet known, while Italy has expressed its intention to operate the two remaining stations. Consequently two problems are to be solved if it will be needed to assure at least the coverage of Italy and of the eastern Mediterranean Sea.