Originally Posted By: Alex
However, with the modern tech it's not that hard to implement either a gyroscopic sighting aid integrated in the periscope, or even a completely computerized celestial navigation system similar to those pinpointing the spacecrafts precise landing after years of navigating in space.


Sure, anything is possible but the ship I was on did not have any of that stuff. You use the stuff you have, not what is technologically possible. Installing a dedicated scope for celestial nav seems highly unlikely.

Navy Navsat was hot stuff before GPS came along. But when we deployed at least one time a LORAN receiver was added because it was old, proven technology that was more available.

I've read stories of many military platforms (aircraft mostly) being saved by crew personal purchase hand-held GPS because the standard equipment in the platform did not yet include GPS (procurement/cost/needs of the service etc can delay sensible upgrades)