GPS denial makes old navigation skills strategically relevant

Renewed naval training with sextants provides deliberate redundancy rather than historical reenactment. An opponent able to deny satellite navigation might also lose access to the same signals, leaving both sides to operate with degraded positioning. The consequences extend from ship navigation to long-range guided weapons, uncrewed vehicles, and aircraft designed around computer-assisted flight. Single-seat combat aircraft also lack the dedicated observer-navigator once available to manage a demanding long-range route. Resilient forces preserve independent skills even when satellite receivers are normally faster and more precise.