One of its primary uses is to emulate a SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System) interface connection for SAASM-capable GPS units.

The protocol typically includes several critical message formats designed for specific synchronization tasks:

At its core, ICD-GPS-153 is an that defines the message format and functional requirements for a digital data interface. It is often referred to as part of the GPS Standard Serial Interface Protocol (GSSIP) suite.