Loran-C

landing page header LoranC

Loran-C_IconWhat is Loran-C?

LOng RAnge Navigation, or LORAN, is a hyperbolic navigation system first developed during WWII. Its history includes the British system “Gee”, and the United States variants known as LORAN-A, LORAN-B, LORAN-C, and LORAN-D. As is with many advanced ideas, like RADAR, LORAN was not embraced by the military or government communities at the time. Private enterprise, in the form of the infamous Alfred Lee Loomis and his Radiation Laboratory, saw the potential and developed the first working solutions. As they had done with GPS, the US Navy and the US Air Force developed similar, but different systems, known as LORAN-B and CYCLAN, respectively in the 1950’s. The Navy renamed CYCLAN to LORAN-C, and it was first deployed in the United States in 1957. In 1958, the US Coast Guard took over the LORAN-C program, including overseeing engineering, research and development, and operations for the DOD and host-nation stations, worldwide. The US DOD did develop another variant, known as LORAN-D, which was used for tactical bombing. As with many acronyms that move into the common lexicon, such as the transformation of RAdio Direction And Ranging to RADAR and then to radar, “LORAN” has become “loran” and is typically used as such in modern writing. Loran-A, -B, and –D systems are no longer in service. However, LORAN-C, and its variant, Russian Chayka, still operates in several countries and there are international initiatives in many countries to upgrade those services to Enhanced Loran, or eLoran.

How Does UrsaNav Use Loran-C?

In 2010, UrsaNav began purchasing the assets of Loran receiver manufacturers that were affected by the United States’ announcement to terminate its Loran-C service that year. Acquisitions included Locus, CrossRate Technologies, and Plutargus. In 2012, UrsaNav entered into an agreement to purchase the assets of Megapulse, a long-time and well-known “full-service” Loran technology provider. The technology and personnel that these companies added to UrsaNav’s already considerable talent resulted in a formidable business focused on the provision of advanced LF solutions worldwide.

UrsaNav’s personnel have been providing Loran-C technology and services to the global community since the 1970’s. Our personnel have been involved in every major technological advance in global Loran and eLoran systems since 1970. The members of our team have considerable experience in installing, operating, and supporting Loran-C and eLoran systems, including in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, France, Norway, South Korea, Japan, India, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.