Cuba plans to connect to Russia’s satellitebased navigation system, according to RIA Novosti, quoting Moscow’s envoy in Havana. The Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) is the main competitor to the U.S.-based Global Positioning System (GPS).

“Our plans include a detailed work on connecting Cuba to the Glonass system,” Mikhail Kamynin said. In fall 2008, Cuba for the first time expressed its interest in using Glonass for civilian purposes.

In February 2009, Russia offered Cuba a channel on the Express AM-44 satellite. The satellite could facilitate telephone and television traffic between Cuba and Europe and link to an undersea fiberoptic cable that will connect Venezuela, Cuba and Jamaica. Russian companies are participating in the modernization of the Gran Caribe satellite station in Cuba and are building a new space control center.