Dmitry Surkov from the Kompass Moscow Design Bureau, which is responsible for creating the GLONASS navigation system, spoke to Russia Today at the air show on the future prospects of the GLONASS system compared to the GPS.

Russia Today: First of all, tell us a bit more about this system and specifically when it will be completed?

Dmitry Surkov: Today, there are two satellite navigation systems in the world. The first one is called the Global Positioning System. This system was built by the U.S. in the late 1970s. And the second satellite navigation system was built by the Soviet Union also in late 1970s. These systems are absolutely the same, I mean the same concept is put into these systems. The only difference between them is their signals. GPS and GLONASS use different signals and another difference is that GPS has about 32 satellites in orbit. GLONASS has a little fewer satellites than GPS – about 24 satellites.
 
RT: Please tell us a bit more about the advantages of GLONASS as opposed to GPS?
 
D.S.: Actually the accuracy available with both systems is virtually the same. For example, if you have a GPS receiver you can actually achieve the same accuracy compared to a GLONASS receiver, about 5 to 8 meters, if we talk about standard positioning service. For Russia the main advantage of GLONASS is the fact that it is an absolutely Russian system which was initially built for the Russian military.
 
RT: Your company, Kompass Design, is working on GLONASS. What are you expecting from the MAKS-2007 air show? What are your goals here?
 
D.S.: I am one of the chief designers of Kompass Design Bureau in Moscow, one of the oldest design firms in Moscow, and our company specialises in satellite and radio navigation equipment. Most of our navigation equipment is designed for the military, but also we have a civil sector. We have GPS-GLONASS solutions for civil applications. You can find GPS solutions for, for example, commercial aviation, GPS-GLONASS receivers for railroad systems at our exhibition. We also have personal navigation equipment such as handheld devices which you can use to locate yourself wherever you are. Well, I repeat, most of our applications are in the area of the military technology. We also work on, and improve, civil applications.