NOVO-OGARYOVO, August 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the proposal by State Space Corporation Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin to equip domestic airliners with the Glonass satellite navigation module.
At a meeting with the head of the Russian state, Rogozin said that all the cars that had been sold in Russia since the beginning of this year were being equipped with the Era-Glonass system, which allows tracking vehicles on the move and urgently dispatching assistance, if necessary.
"These are hundreds of saved lives," the Roscosmos head said.
"We propose introducing similar practice when Russian airlines take even foreign planes on lease and, all the more so, as they acquire aircraft produced on Russian territory. Therefore, they should be necessarily equipped with the Glonass modules or with the Glonass-GPS systems in some instances," Rogozin said.
"We are proposing to do this legislatively," the Roscosmos chief said.
"This will give us more accurate navigation for the crews," Rogozin said.
"I support this idea," Putin said. "Please, discuss this issue with the government in an established procedure," he added.
Russian airports are equipped with the Glonass system while planes, which are largely of foreign make so far, lack it, Rogozin added.
"I have prepared a report and will submit it to you," the Roscosmos chief said.