# Galileo Gen-2 and BeiDou's refit reshape the navigation race as GPS slips behind
> EU starts Galileo Gen-2 launches; China consolidates BeiDou to 37 satellites and eyes global adoption

**Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-04-04 · heads: Le jeu long, Qui décide · 7 takes · 3 lenses · 3 regions

## Summary

The satellite-navigation race is shifting under [jamming pressure](/fr/n/gps-jamming-aviation-2026). The
[EU](/fr/entity/european-union) has committed funding for [Galileo Gen-2](/fr/entity/galileo), slated to begin
launching in 2026; Galileo's free High Accuracy Service already delivers ~20 cm horizontal
accuracy, the best civilian GNSS service. [China](/fr/entity/china) is running an in-orbit
[BeiDou](/fr/entity/beidou) refit, replacing older satellites with third-generation models and consolidating
the active constellation to 37 from ~50, while courting global adoption. The candid US read: its
PNT advisory board has called GPS "substantially inferior" to BeiDou. The jamming epidemic is
driving everyone, GPS, Galileo and startups, toward LEO-PNT layers and multi-constellation
receivers for resilience. Navigation is becoming a contest of standards and influence as much as
of accuracy, paralleling the [broadband](/fr/n/china-megaconstellation-batches-2026) race.

## By the numbers

- 37, BeiDou active satellites after consolidation (from ~50).
- ~20 cm, Galileo High Accuracy Service horizontal accuracy (free).
- 2026, start of Galileo Gen-2 launches.
- 4, global GNSS systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) now interoperable in receivers.

## Why it matters

Whoever's navigation signals the world's phones, ships and weapons default to gains strategic
leverage, and a jamming-resilient system is now a security necessity, not a convenience. GPS
losing its edge to [BeiDou](/fr/entity/beidou) is a quiet shift with military and economic weight.

## What to watch

- First Galileo Gen-2 launches and their resilience features.
- BeiDou's export adoption in the Global South.
- Whether US LEO-PNT programmes get funded to close the gap.

## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens)

### unlabelled
- **South China Morning Post** (Hong Kong, en) — Reports China's BeiDou in-orbit upgrade, replacing older satellites with third-generation models and consolidating the active constellation to 37, and Beijing's push for global adoption of the system.
  Source: https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3348900/chinas-gps-rival-beidou-getting-upgrade-beijing-eyes-global-adoption
- **GPS World (LEO PNT)** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://www.gpsworld.com/the-rise-of-leo-pnt/
- **Orbital Radar** (Global, en) — 
  Source: https://orbitalradar.com/navigation-constellations
- **Taoglas** (Global, en) — 
  Source: https://www.taoglas.com/blogs/gnss-constellations-exploring-gps-glonass-galileo-beidou-navic-and-qzss/
- **Space Capital** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://www.spacecapital.com/blogs/resilient-gps-and-alt-pnt

### US space-business
- **Payload Space** (United States, en) — Argues GPS now faces serious competition from BeiDou on accuracy and services, citing the US PNT advisory board's blunt admission that GPS capabilities are 'substantially inferior' to BeiDou, the candid US read on losing a lead it once monopolised.
  > "A US advisory board concluded GPS's capabilities are now 'substantially inferior' to those of China's BeiDou."
  Source: https://payloadspace.com/gps-faces-growing-competition-from-chinas-beidou/

### GNSS engineering
- **Inside GNSS** (United States, en) — Technical case for LEO-based PNT as a resilience layer beneath the legacy MEO constellations, why jamming vulnerability and BeiDou's lead are pushing GPS, Galileo and startups toward low-orbit navigation now.
  > "LEO-PNT is moving from concept to programme as jamming and BeiDou's lead expose the legacy constellations' fragility."
  Source: https://insidegnss.com/inside-leo-leo-pnt-why-now/

## Across the graph
- Related: [[gps-jamming-aviation-2026]], [[china-megaconstellation-batches-2026]], [[eutelsat-oneweb-iris2-funding-2026]]
- Entities: Beidou, Galileo, China, European Union, Gps Jamming

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Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/fr/n/galileo-beidou-pnt-2026