Yeah, because you cant get GPC data walking around with an IPhone.
This isn’t targeting, or even actual reconnaissance. Under the open skies treaty they and we are allowed a certain number of flights per year.
They decided to use one to circle around DC, being annoying, giving us the finger. This is just them tweaking DC for the sanctions bill. This is Russian humor at its finest.
The the fact of the matter is that GPS data at a military grade (milspec) of signal is much quicker than walking around with your iPhone.
Missiles travel at thousands of feet per second and the GPS signal that they use can refresh and update positioning in
Smartphone are not anywhere robust enough and can keep up with greatly diminished speeds. Totally different system parameters.
Incoming missiles would far exceed the parameters of a GPS signal as is used by the civilian world.
It’s actually against the law to own a milspec GPS receiver.
Oh, and BTW the CT scenario was a spoof for the benefit of spin...