I've been using the GLONASS and GPS constellations for years. My (employer's) survey equipment makes use of both systems. My experience with the GLONASS is that positioning is a bit more coarse because of the poor coverage of the existing satellites. I wouldn't have a problem buying a sport-grade handheld that received both systems. The Europeans are launching Galileo positioning system, and the Chinese are putting up their own system as well. I'll wait for the EU system to be active and proven before I upgrade my personal equipment beyond the US GPS.
WITH REGARD TO THE GPS "JAMMERS".
YES, they did sell GPS jamming equipment to Saddam. They sold it to him to take his money and finance their own space operations, not because it was an effective product! It is my feeling that there was some James Bond secretive, highly intelligent, cover of darkness transactions that went on in a successful attempt to foil the Iraqis.
Lets think about how/why the GPS is an effective battlefield tool.
portable,
accurate,
compact,
can be wired into other devices,
can be used in guided missiles to navigate to a predesignated and mapped target,
but PRIMARILY, it allows you (or your equipment) to receive accurate positional data without letting anyone know where you are and designating you as a target (i.e. you're NOT transmitting).
Within the first few minutes of the "Shock and Awe" portion, all jamming equipment (read REALLY EASY TO TRIANGULATE) had been blown up using non-GPS guided missiles. This attempt to "jam" allowed Iraqi military communications centers to be easily ID'd and popped. Tom Clancy had this figured out 20 years ago.
If Iran is using these, they haven't learned anything.
