MOSCOW, April 9: Russia plans to launch a direct competitor to the US global positioning system (GPS) satellite navigation system next year using military technology developed in the Cold War era, project leaders said on Monday.

Drivers, hill walkers, sailors and army commanders around the world navigate using satellite technology developed by the US military. Soon they will be able to switch to a Soviet-designed rival – GLONASS.

“We are planning to deliver all sorts of devices already available on GPS,” said Alexander Gurko, the chairman of M2M Telematics which manufacturers satellite navigation equipment.

“From next year we will start producing a consumer product from GLONASS,” Gurko said.

He was speaking at a press briefing alongside Yuri Nosenko, the deputy head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, and other GLONASS project leaders.—Reuters