What system is essential for the precise guidance of airplanes and ships?

GPS

The Global Positioning System (GPS) uses a network of satellites orbiting the Earth to provide accurate positioning and timing information to a GPS receiver anywhere on the globe, provided it has a clear view of the sky. Initially developed and deployed by the United States Department of Defense for military applications, GPS was opened to the public in the 1980s, radically transforming maritime, aerial, and terrestrial navigation. Today, GPS is ubiquitous, integrated into smartphones, cars, and used in numerous fields such as precision agriculture, search and rescue, and geolocation for delivery services. This technology continues to evolve, with improvements in satellite systems and signal processing algorithms, making navigation and positioning more accurate and reliable.