Glonass

   Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System (Global’ naia navigatsionnaia sputnikovaia sistema), or Glonass, is a satellitebased navigation system analogous to the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS), as well as Chinese and European Union variants. Originally developed in the late Brezhnev era as part of the country’s space program, the system did not gain a global footprint until the mid-1990s; the success was short-lived, and the system soon fell into disrepair. Under Vladimir Putin, Russia diversified Glonass, adding the Indian government as a partner; Moscow plans to restore global coverage before 2011. In 2007, the system was made available for civilian and commercial uses.

   See also Air Force; Military.