Contact Information
Run and operated by the United States Coast Guard, Loran Support Unit is located in Wildwood, New Jersey and under Gary Thomas’s command. The unit is responsible for the LRNS – Long Range Navigation System. There are a few such systems in the United States of America. Each of them deals with a particular part of the country. This one supports the western coast. The unit makes an excellent job for the ships and vessels in the western US waters. It doesn’t support the US Coast Guard only, but all the ships and aircrafts in the area, including the private ones.
Mission
The mission of Loran Support Unit made it extremely important for the US Coast Guard operations. Although the armed forces benefit from aircrafts and helicopters too, the boats represent one of the most common transportation units. The system helps the sailors locate themselves in the US waters and find out their position precisely. The way this system works is extremely easy to understand. The unit emits some signals on a regular basis. They go on at every few seconds. They are powerful enough to be captures by ships. This is how they are able to locate themselves in the waters. Of course, in order to benefit from this system, the ships require some basic radar systems, which most are manned with. The system is not as useful for the small and basic shipping boats.
The same system is also used by the aircrafts and helicopters belonging to various armed forces, as well as the civilian ones. Aside from these signaling systems, Loran Support Unit is also responsible for the maintenance. The experts perform regular maintenance operations, not to mention about slight inspections every once in a while to make sure that everything works accordingly. The effectiveness of these systems is vital for the operations, especially when it comes to the emergencies the United States Coast Guard takes over.
The End
Loran Support Unit has made an excellent job over the years it was used. It was the primary unit dealing with the systems. It was the one and only center that could help a ship or an aircraft locate itself. However, the amazing ascension of the system is slowly drawing to an end. It is quickly losing its popularity in front of the more popular GPS – Global Positioning System. The GPS works through the satellites and is already the most popular system of its kind used by drivers all over the world. The system has already been implemented by multiple armies and private companies. The United States Coast Guard is about to adopt it too. It is easier to maintain and more effective.
The transition has already began, therefore it is just a matter of time until the GPS will be fully implemented. At that time, Loran Support Unit will become history. All the stations supporting this unit will be disestablished, while the equipments will be adapted to the new system. Other than that, the support units will be taken through a major reconstruction process.
