As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 7, 2003
                         Registration No. 333-__________

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    Form S-3
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
                           Trimble Navigation Limited
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                                   California
         (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

                                   94-2802192
                      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
                           --------------------------

                              645 North Mary Avenue
                           Sunnyvale, California 94088
                                 (408) 481-8000

       (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
               code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

                                 Irwin L. Kwatek
                         Vice President, General Counsel
                           Trimble Navigation Limited
                              645 North Mary Avenue
                           Sunnyvale, California 94088
                                 (408) 481-8000

            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                           --------------------------

                                    Copy to:
                              Thomas J. Ivey, Esq.
                    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
                        525 University Avenue, Suite 1100
                           Palo Alto, California 94301
                                 (650) 470-4500


     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time
to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

     If the only  securities  being  registered  on this Form are being  offered
pursuant to dividend or interest  reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. []

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, check the following box. |X|

     If this Form is filed to  register  additional  securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. []

     If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the  Securities  Act,  check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. []

     If delivery of the  prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. []

                           --------------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


                       Amount         Proposed        Proposed       Amount of
                       to be          maximum         maximum      registration
                     registered (1)   offering price  aggregate        fee
                                      per unit (1)(2) offering price
                                                      (1)(2)
Title of each
class of securities
to be registered

Common Stock,
no par value                                          $100,000,000     $8,090
per share (3).....

Rights to purchase                                    N/A               N/A
Preferred Stock of
Registrant

        Total.....                                    $100,000,000     $8,090


1)   An  indeterminate  number  of or  aggregate  principal  amount  of  the
     securities  is  being  registered  as may at  various  times be  issued  at
     indeterminate prices, with an aggregate public offering price not to exceed
     $100,000,000 or the equivalent thereof in one or more currencies.

2)   Estimated  solely  for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(o).

3)   Includes rights ("Rights") to purchase shares of the Registrant's  Series A
     Participating  Preferred  Stock,  issuable  pursuant to that certain Rights
     Agreement  between the Registrant  and  ChaseMellon  Shareholder  Services,
     L.L.C., as Rights Agent, dated February 18, 1999. The value attributable to
     the Rights,  if any, is reflected in the market price of the Common  Stock.

                           --------------------------

     We hereby amend this registration statement on such date or dates as may be
necessary to delay its  effective  date until we shall file a further  amendment
which  specifically  states that this  registration  statement shall  thereafter
become  effective in accordance  with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933
or until the  registration  statement shall become effective on such date as the
Securities and Exchange  Commission,  acting  pursuant to said Section 8(a), may
determine.









SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 7, 2003

PROSPECTUS

                           TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED

                                  COMMON STOCK

                                  $100,000,000


     This  prospectus  relates to common  stock,  which we may sell from time to
time in one or more  offerings  up to an  aggregate  public  offering  price  of
$100,000,000.  We will provide  specific  terms of these sales in supplements to
this prospectus.  You should read this prospectus and each supplement  carefully
before you invest.  This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell securities
unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

     You should consider  carefully the risk factors beginning on page 3 of this
prospectus before making a decision to purchase our securities.

     On March 6, 2003,  the last  reported sale price of our common stock on the
Nasdaq National  Market was $16.86 per share.  Our common stock is listed on the
Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "TRMB".

     Neither the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  nor any state  securities
commission has approved or  disapproved  of these  securities or passed upon the
adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a
criminal offense.




                  The Date of this Prospectus is March 7, 2003.








                              ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     This  prospectus  is part of a "shelf"  registration  statement on Form S-3
that we filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.  Under this shelf
process,  we may sell common stock from time to time in one or more offerings up
to an aggregate public offering price of $100,000,000.  This prospectus provides
you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell
any securities  under this prospectus,  we will provide a prospectus  supplement
that will contain  specific  information  about the terms of that offering.  The
prospectus  supplement may also add, update or change  information  contained in
this  prospectus.  You  should  read both  this  prospectus  and any  prospectus
supplement  together  with  additional  information  described  below  under the
headings  "Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference" and "Where You Can
Find More Information."

     You  should  rely only on the  information  incorporated  by  reference  or
provided in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement or amendment. We have not
authorized  anyone else to provide you with  different  information.  We are not
making  an  offer  of these  securities  in any  state  where  the  offer is not
permitted.  You  should  not  assume the  information  in this  prospectus  or a
prospectus  supplement  or  amendment  is accurate as of any date other than the
date on the front of the documents.





                                     SUMMARY

     Trimble  Navigation  Limited, a California  corporation,  provides advanced
positioning  products and  solutions  to  industrial,  commercial,  governmental
entities,  and  professional  customers  in  a  number  of  markets,   including
surveying,  construction,  agriculture, urban and resource management, military,
transportation,  and  telecommunications.  Customer benefits  resulting from our
products typically include cost savings or avoidance,  improved quality,  higher
productivity,  and increased efficiency.  Examples of our products and solutions
include guidance for earthmoving operations,  surveying  instrumentation,  fleet
management  for  specialized   trucks  such  as  concrete  mixers,   positioning
technology for vehicle navigation and telematics products,  tractor guidance for
farming,   field  data   collection   equipment,   and  timing   technology  for
synchronization of wireless networks.

     Our expertise is focused in  positioning,  communication,  and  information
technologies, which form the core of our products. Positioning technologies used
include the Global Positioning System (GPS), laser, optical, and inertial, while
communication  techniques  include both public networks,  such as cellular,  and
private networks,  such as business band radio. The unique nature of many of our
products  and  solutions  is created  through  information  technologies  - both
firmware that enables the positioning  solution,  and applications software that
allows the customer to make use of the positioning information.

     We design and market our own products.  Assembly and manufacturing for many
of our  products are  subcontracted  to third  parties.  We conduct our business
globally,  with major  operations in the United  States,  Sweden,  Germany,  New
Zealand and the Netherlands. Products are sold through dealers, representatives,
partners, and other channels throughout the world, supported by sales offices in
22 countries.

     A major portion of our revenues is derived from applying GPS to terrestrial
applications.  GPS is a system of 24 orbiting  satellites and associated  ground
control that is funded and  maintained by the U. S.  Government and is available
worldwide free of charge. GPS positioning is based on a technique that precisely
measures  distances from four or more  satellites.  The satellites  continuously
transmit precisely timed radio signals using extremely accurate atomic clocks. A
GPS receiver  measures  distances from the satellites in view by determining the
travel time of a signal from the satellite to the receiver,  and then uses those
distances to compute its position. Under normal circumstances, a stand-alone GPS
receiver is able to calculate its position at any point on earth, in the earth's
atmosphere, or in lower earth orbit, to approximately 10 meters, 24 hours a day.
Much better  accuracies are possible  through a technique  called  "differential
GPS." In addition, GPS provides extremely accurate time measurement.

     The  usefulness of GPS is dependent  upon the locations of the receiver and
the GPS  satellites  that are above the horizon at any given time.  Reception of
GPS signals  requires  line-of-sight  visibility  between the satellites and the
receiver,  which can be  blocked  by  buildings,  hills and dense  foliage.  The
receiver must have a line of sight to at least four  satellites to determine its
latitude, longitude, altitude, and time. The accuracy of GPS may also be limited
by distortion of GPS signals from ionospheric and other atmospheric  conditions,
and intentional or inadvertent  signal  interference or Selective  Availability.
Selective  Availability,  which was the largest component of GPS distortion,  is
controlled by the U.S. Department of Defense and was deactivated on May 1, 2000.

     Our  GPS  products  are  based  on  proprietary  receiver  technology.  The
convergence of  positioning,  wireless,  and  information  technologies  enables
significant  new value to be added to positioning  systems,  thereby  creating a
more robust solution for the user. In addition,  recent developments in wireless
technology  and  deployments  of wireless  networks have enabled less  expensive
wireless communications.  These developments allow for the efficient transfer of
position data to locations away from the positioning field device,  allowing the
data to be accessed by more users and thereby increasing productivity.

     Our laser and optical  products  measure  distances  and angles  accurately
using light.  We generally  use  commercially  available  laser diodes to create
light beams for distance  measurement.  In addition,  our proprietary  precision
mechanics  and software  algorithms  in these  products  combine to give robust,
accurate  distance  and  angle  measurements  for  a  variety  of  agricultural,
surveying, and construction applications.

     We began  operations in 1978, and  incorporated  in California in 1981. Our
common stock has been  publicly  traded on Nasdaq  since 1990,  under the symbol
TRMB.  As used in this  prospectus,  the words "we," "us," "our," and  "Trimble"
refer  to  Trimble  Navigation  Limited,  a  California  corporation,   and  its
wholly-owned subsidiaries.





                                  RISK FACTORS

     You should  carefully  consider the following risk factors,  in addition to
the other information contained in this prospectus and in any other documents to
which we refer you in this  prospectus,  before  purchasing our securities.  The
risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face.

Our Inability to Accurately Predict Orders and Shipments May Affect Our Revenue,
Expenses and Earnings per Share.

     We  have  not  been  able in the  past to  consistently  predict  when  our
customers  will place  orders and request  shipments,  so that we cannot  always
accurately  plan our  manufacturing  requirements.  As a result,  if orders  and
shipments  differ from what we predict,  we may incur  additional  expenses  and
build excess inventory,  which may require additional accruals.  Any significant
change in our  customers'  purchasing  patterns  could have a  material  adverse
effect on our operating results and reported earnings per share for a particular
quarter.


Our Operating Results in Each Quarter May Be Affected by Special Conditions,
Such As Seasonality, Late Quarter Purchases, and Other Potential Issues.

     Due,  in part,  to the buying  patterns  of our  customers,  a  significant
portion of our quarterly  revenues  occurs from orders  received and immediately
shipped to  customers in the last few weeks and days of each  quarter,  although
our  operating  expenses  tend to remain  fairly  predictable.  Engineering  and
construction  purchases tend to occur in early spring, and governmental agencies
tend to utilize funds available at the end of the  government's  fiscal year for
additional purchases at the end of our third fiscal quarter in September of each
year.  Concentrations of orders sometimes also occur at the end of our other two
fiscal quarters.  Additionally,  a majority of our sales force earns commissions
on a quarterly basis, which may cause concentrations of orders at the end of any
fiscal quarter.  If for any reason  expected sales are deferred,  orders are not
received,  or  shipments  are delayed a few days at the end of a quarter,
our operating  results and reported earnings per share for that quarter could be
significantly impacted.


We Are Dependent on a Sole Manufacturer and Assembler for Many of Our Products
and on Sole Suppliers of Critical Parts for Our Products.

     Since August 1999,  we have been  substantially  dependent  upon  Solectron
Corporation as the exclusive  manufacturing partner for many of our GPS products
previously  manufactured  out of our Sunnyvale  facilities.  Under the agreement
with  Solectron,  we provide to Solectron a  twelve-month  product  forecast and
place  purchase  orders with  Solectron  sixty  calendar  days in advance of the
scheduled delivery of products to our customers. Although purchase orders placed
with Solectron are  cancelable,  the terms of the agreement  would require us to
purchase from Solectron all material inventory not returnable or usable by other
Solectron  customers.  Accordingly,  if we inaccurately  forecast demand for our
products,  we may be unable  to  obtain  adequate  manufacturing  capacity  from
Solectron to meet customers'  delivery  requirements or we may accumulate excess
inventories, if such inventories are not usable by other Solectron customers.

     Our current contract with Solectron expires in August of 2003.

     During the fourth quarter of 2002,  Solectron began  assembling some of our
Component Technology products in China. Although we believe that this initiative
in China  will bring  significant  cost  savings,  we cannot  predict  potential
effects that may result from this program.

     In  addition,  we rely on  sole  suppliers  for a  number  of our  critical
components.  We have  experienced  shortages of  components  in the past.  As an
example,  we were  affected by the  inability  of a display  supplier to provide
adequate  quantities  to meet our  requirements  in the  third  fiscal  calendar
quarter of 2002 that resulted in the deferral of $2.4 million in orders into the
fourth  quarter of 2002.  Our  current  reliance  on sole or a limited  group of
suppliers involves several risks,  including a potential  inability to obtain an
adequate  supply of required  components and reduced  control over pricing.  Any
inability to obtain  adequate  deliveries or any other  circumstance  that would
require  us to  seek  alternative  sources  of  supply  or to  manufacture  such
components  internally  could  significantly  delay  our  ability  to  ship  our
products,   which  could  damage  relationships  with  current  and  prospective
customers and could harm our reputation  and brand,  which could have a material
adverse effect on our business.


Our Annual and Quarterly Performance May Fluctuate.

     Our operating  results have  fluctuated  and can be expected to continue to
fluctuate in the future on a quarterly  and annual basis as a result of a number
of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Results in any period could be
affected by:

o    changes in market demand,

o    competitive market conditions,

o    market  acceptance  of existing or new  products,  especially in our Mobile
     Solutions business

o    fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates,

o    the cost and availability of components,

o    our ability to manufacture and ship products,

o    the mix of our customer base and sales channels,

o    the mix of products sold,

o    our ability to expand our sales and marketing organization effectively,

o    our ability to attract and retain key technical and managerial employees,

o    the timing of shipments of products  under  contracts and sale of licensing
     rights, and

o    general global economic conditions.


     In addition, demand for our products in any quarter or year may vary due to
the  seasonal  buying  patterns  of  our  customers  in  the   agricultural  and
engineering  and  construction  industries.  Due to the foregoing  factors,  our
operating  results in one or more future  periods are  expected to be subject to
significant   fluctuations.   The  price  of  our  common  stock  could  decline
substantially in the event such fluctuations result in our financial performance
being below the expectations of public market analysts and investors,  which are
based  primarily  on  historical  models  that  are  not  necessarily   accurate
representations of the future.


Our Gross Margin Is Subject to Fluctuation.

     Our gross margin is affected by a number of factors, including product mix,
product  pricing,  cost of  components,  foreign  currency  exchange  rates  and
manufacturing  costs. For example,  since our Engineering and Construction (E&C)
and Geographic  Information  Systems (GIS) products  generally have higher gross
margins than our Component  Technologies (CT) products,  absent other factors, a
shift  in  sales  toward  E&C  and GIS  products  would  lead to a gross  margin
improvement.  On the other hand, if market conditions in the highly  competitive
E&C and GIS market  segments  forced us to lower unit prices,  we would suffer a
decline in gross margin unless we were able to timely offset the price reduction
by a reduction in  production  costs or by sales of other  products  with higher
gross  margins.  A decline  in gross  margin  could have  negatively  impact our
earnings per share.


Our  Business  is  Subject to  Disruptions  and  Uncertainties  Caused by War or
Terrorism.

     Acts of war or acts of terrorism  could have a material  adverse  impact on
our  business,  operating  results,  and  financial  condition.  The  threat  of
terrorism and war and heightened  security and military response to this threat,
or any future acts of terrorism, may cause further disruption to our economy and
create  further   uncertainties.   To  the  extent  that  such   disruptions  or
uncertainties result in delays or cancellations of orders, or the manufacture or
shipment  of our  products,  our  business,  operating  results,  and  financial
condition could be materially and adversely affected.


Our  Substantial  Indebtedness  Could  Materially  Restrict Our  Operations  and
Adversely Affect Our Financial Condition.

     We now have, and for the  foreseeable  future expect to have, a significant
level of indebtedness. Our substantial indebtedness could:

o    increase  our  vulnerability  to  general  adverse  economic  and  industry
     conditions;

o    limit our ability to fund future  working  capital,  capital  expenditures,
     research and development and other general  corporate  requirements,  or to
     make certain investments that could benefit us;

o    require us to  dedicate a  substantial  portion of our cash flow to service
     interest and  principal  payments on our debt; o limit our  flexibility  to
     react to changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;  and
     o limit our ability to borrow additional funds.


Our Credit Agreement Contains Stringent Financial Covenants.

     Two of the  financial  covenants in our Credit  Agreement  with The Bank of
Nova Scotia and certain  other banks,  dated as of July 14, 2000 as amended (the
"Credit  Agreement"),  minimum fixed charge coverage and maximum leverage ratio,
are  extremely  sensitive  to  changes  in  earnings  before  interest,   taxes,
depreciation and amortization  ("EBITDA").  In turn, EBITDA is highly correlated
to revenues and costs. Due to uncertainties  associated with the downturn in the
worldwide economy, our future revenues by quarter are more difficult to forecast
and  we  have  put  in  place  various  cost  cutting  measures,  including  the
consolidation  of service  functions  and  centers,  offices,  and of  redundant
product lines and  reductions in staff.  If revenues  should decline at a faster
pace than the rate of these cost cutting measures, on a quarter-to-quarter basis
we may not be in compliance with the two above-mentioned financial covenants. If
we default on one or more  covenants,  we will have to obtain either  negotiated
waivers or amendments to the Credit Agreement.  If we were unable to obtain such
waivers or amendments,  the banks would have the right to accelerate the payment
of our outstanding  obligations under the Credit  Agreement,  which would have a
material adverse effect on our financial condition and viability as an operating
company.  In  addition,  a default  under one of our debt  instruments  may also
trigger  cross-defaults  under our other debt  instruments.  An event of default
under any debt instrument, if not cured or waived, could have a material adverse
effect on us. In September of 2002, we reached an agreement,  renegotiating  our
financial  covenants  on senior debt  instruments.  The revised  covenants  will
remain in effect through the term of the current credit facility. On January 14,
2003,  Trimble  executed  an  Amended  and  Restated  Credit  Agreement,   which
restructured the $100 million revolver into four Tranches. Tranches A & C belong
to the $50  million  US dollar  revolver  and  Tranches  B & D belong to the $50
million multi-currency  revolver.  Allocated to Tranche A is $12,500,000 with an
expiration date of July 14, 2003 and allocated to Tranche C is $37,500,000  with
an expiration date of April 07, 2004.  Allocated to Tranche B is $1,500,000 with
an expiration  date of July 14, 2003 and  allocated to Tranche D is  $48,500,000
with an  expiration  date of April  07,  2004.  As a  result,  the $100  million
revolver  will  remain in effect  through  July 14,  2003 and be  reduced to $86
million for the period starting July 15, 2003 through April 7, 2004.


We Are Dependent on Key Customers.

     An  increasing  amount of our  revenue is  generated  from  large  original
equipment  manufacturers  such as Siemens VDO Automotive  AG, Nortel,  McNeilus,
Caterpillar,  CNH Global,  DeWalt, Hilti, and Blaupunkt.  A reduction or loss of
business  with  these  customers  could have a  material  adverse  effect on our
financial condition and results of operations. There can be no assurance that we
will be able to  continue  to  realize  value from  these  relationships  in the
future.


We Are Dependent on New Products.

     Our future revenue stream depends to a large degree on our ability to bring
new products to market on a timely basis.  We must continue to make  significant
investments  in  research  and  development  in order to continue to develop new
products,  enhance  existing  products  and achieve  market  acceptance  of such
products.  We may incur problems in the future in innovating and introducing new
products.  Our development stage products may not be successfully  completed or,
if developed, may not achieve significant customer acceptance. If we were unable
to successfully  define,  develop and introduce  competitive  new products,  and
enhance existing  products,  our future results of operations would be adversely
affected.  Development and manufacturing  schedules for technology  products are
difficult to predict, and we might not achieve timely initial customer shipments
of new products.  The timely  availability of these products in volume and their
acceptance  by customers  are  important to our future  success.  A delay in new
product  introductions  could  have  a  significant  impact  on our  results  of
operations.


We Face Risks of Entering Into and Maintaining Alliances.

     We believe that in certain  emerging markets our success will depend on our
ability to form and maintain  alliances with  established  system  providers and
industry  leaders.  Our  failure to form and  maintain  such  alliances,  or the
preemption  of  such  alliances  by  actions  of  other  competitors  or us will
adversely affect our ability to penetrate emerging markets. No assurances can be
given that we will not experience  problems from current or future  alliances or
that we will realize value from any such strategic alliances.


We Are  Dependent  on the  Availability  of  Allocated  Bands  Within  the Radio
Frequency Spectrum.

     Our GPS  technology  is dependent  on the use of the  Standard  Positioning
Service ("SPS")  provided by the U.S.  Government's  Global  Positioning  System
(GPS). The GPS SPS operates in radio frequency bands that are globally allocated
for radio  navigation  satellite  services.  International  allocations of radio
frequency  are  made by the  International  Telecommunications  Union  (ITU),  a
specialized  technical  agency of the  United  Nations.  These  allocations  are
further  governed by radio  regulations that have treaty status and which may be
subject  to   modification   every  two  to  three  years  by  the  World  Radio
Communication Conference.

     Any ITU  reallocation of radio frequency  bands,  including  frequency band
segmentation  or sharing of spectrum,  may materially  and adversely  affect the
utility and reliability of our products,  which would, in turn, cause a material
adverse  effect on our operating  results.  Many of our products use other radio
frequency  bands,  together  with  the  GPS  signal,  to  provide  enhanced  GPS
capabilities,   such  as  real-time   kinematics   precision.   The   continuing
availability of these non-GPS radio frequencies is essential to provide enhanced
GPS products to our precision survey markets. Any regulatory changes in spectrum
allocation or in allowable  operating  conditions  may  materially and adversely
affect the utility and reliability of our products,  which would, in turn, cause
a material adverse effect on our operating results.

     In addition,  unwanted  emissions from mobile satellite  services and other
equipment  operating in adjacent  frequency  bands or in-band from  licensed and
unlicensed   devices  may  materially  and  adversely  affect  the  utility  and
reliability of our products,  which could result in a material adverse effect on
our  operating  results.  The  FCC  continually  receives  proposals  for  novel
technologies and services, such as ultra-wideband  technologies,  which may seek
to operate in, or across,  the radio  frequency  bands currently used by the GPS
SPS and other public safety services.  Adverse  decisions by the FCC that result
in harmful interference to the delivery of the GPS SPS and other radio frequency
spectrum  also used in our  products may  materially  and  adversely  affect the
utility  and  reliability  of our  products,  which  could  result in a material
adverse effect on our business and financial condition.


We Are Subject to the Adverse Impact of Radio Frequency Congestion.

     We have  certain  real-time  kinematics  products,  such as our Land Survey
5700, that use integrated  radio  communication  technology  requiring access to
available radio frequencies  allocated by the FCC. In addition,  access to these
frequencies by state agencies is under management by state radio  communications
coordinators.  Some  bands  are  experiencing  congestion  that  excludes  their
availability for access by state agencies in some states, including the state of
California.  An inability to obtain access to these radio frequencies could have
an adverse effect on our operating results.


Many of Our Products Rely on the GPS Satellite System.

     The GPS satellites and their ground support systems are complex  electronic
systems subject to electronic and mechanical failures and possible sabotage. The
satellites were  originally  designed to have lives of 7.5 years and are subject
to damage by the hostile space  environment in which they operate.  However,  of
the current  deployment  of 28  satellites  in place,  some have already been in
operation  for 13 years.  To repair  damaged  or  malfunctioning  satellites  is
currently not economically  feasible. If a significant number of satellites were
to  become  inoperable,  there  could be a  substantial  delay  before  they are
replaced with new satellites.  A reduction in the number of operating satellites
may impair the  current  utility of the GPS system and the growth of current and
additional market opportunities.

     In addition, there can be no assurance that the U.S. Government will remain
committed to the operation and maintenance of GPS satellites over a long period,
or that the policies of the U.S.  Government  for the use of GPS without  charge
will remain unchanged. However, a 1996 Presidential Decision Directive marks the
first time in the  evolution  of GPS that access for civilian use free of direct
user fees is specifically  recognized and supported by Presidential  policy.  In
addition,   Presidential   policy  has  been   complemented   by   corresponding
legislation, signed into law. Because of ever-increasing commercial applications
of GPS, other U.S. Government agencies may become involved in the administration
or the regulation of the use of GPS signals.  Any of the foregoing factors could
affect the  willingness  of buyers of our products to select  GPS-based  systems
instead of products based on competing technologies.

     Any  resulting  change in  market  demand  for GPS  products  could  have a
material  adverse  effect  on  our  financial  results.  For  example,  European
governments  have  expressed  interest  in  building  an  independent  satellite
navigation system, known as Galileo. Depending on the as yet undetermined design
and operation of this system,  there may be  interference to the delivery of the
GPS SPS and may materially and adversely  affect the utility and  reliability of
our products,  which could result in a material  adverse  effect on our business
and operating results.


We Face Risks in Investing in and Integrating New Acquisitions.

     We are continuously evaluating external investments in technologies related
to our business,  and have made relatively small strategic equity investments in
a number of GPS-related and laser-related technology companies.  Acquisitions of
companies, divisions of companies, or products entail numerous risks, including:

o    potential  inability to  successfully  integrate  acquired  operations  and
     products or to realize  cost  savings or other  anticipated  benefits  from
     integration;

o    diversion of management's attention;

o    loss of key employees of acquired operations;

o    the  difficulty of  assimilating  geographically  dispersed  operations and
     personnel of the acquired companies;

o    the potential disruption of our ongoing business;

o    unanticipated expenses related to such integration;

o    the correct assessment of the relative  percentages of in-process  research
     and development  expense that can be immediately written off as compared to
     the amount which must be amortized over the appropriate life of the asset;

o    the impairment of  relationships  with employees and customers of either an
     acquired company or our own business;

o    the potential unknown liabilities associated with acquired business; and

o    inability to recover strategic investments in development stage entities.


     As a result of such  acquisitions,  we have significant assets that include
goodwill and other purchased intangibles. The testing of these intangibles under
established  accounting  guidelines for impairment  requires  significant use of
judgment  and  assumptions.   Changes  in  business   conditions  could  require
adjustments  to the valuation of these assets.  Any such problems in integration
or  adjustments  to the  value of the  assets  acquired  could  harm our  growth
strategy and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition
and compliance with debt covenants.


We Face Competition in Our Markets.

     Our  markets  are highly  competitive  and we expect  that both  direct and
indirect  competition  will  increase  in the future.  Our  overall  competitive
position  depends  on a number of  factors  including  the  price,  quality  and
performance of our products,  the level of customer service,  the development of
new technology and our ability to participate in emerging  markets.  Within each
of our markets,  we encounter  direct  competition  from other GPS,  optical and
laser  suppliers and  competition may intensify from various larger domestic and
international  competitors  and new  market  entrants,  some of which may be our
current customers.  The competition in the future, may, in some cases, result in
price  reductions,  reduced margins or loss of market share,  any of which could
materially and adversely  affect our business,  operating  results and financial
condition.  We believe  that our ability to compete  successfully  in the future
against  existing and additional  competitors will depend largely on our ability
to execute our  strategy  to provide  systems and  products  with  significantly
differentiated  features compared to currently available products. We may not be
able to  implement  this  strategy  successfully,  and our  products  may not be
competitive  with other  technologies  or products  that may be developed by our
competitors,  many of whom  have  significantly  greater  financial,  technical,
manufacturing, marketing, sales and other resources than we do.


We Are Dependent on Proprietary Technology.

     Our  future  success  and  competitive   position  is  dependent  upon  our
proprietary  technology,  and we rely on patent,  trade  secret,  trademark  and
copyright  law to  protect  our  intellectual  property.  The  patents  owned or
licensed by us may be  invalidated,  circumvented,  and  challenged.  The rights
granted under these patents may not provide competitive advantages to us. Any of
our pending or future patent  applications may not be issued within the scope of
the claims sought by us, if at all.

     Others  may  develop  technologies  that are  similar  or  superior  to our
technology,  duplicate our  technology or design around the patents owned by us.
In addition,  effective  copyright,  patent and trade secret  protection  may be
unavailable,  limited or not applied for in certain foreign countries. The steps
taken by us to protect our technology might not prevent the  misappropriation of
such technology.

     The value of our products relies  substantially on our technical innovation
in fields in which there are many current patent  filings.  We recognize that as
new patents are issued or are  brought to our  attention  by the holders of such
patents, it may be necessary for us to withdraw products from the market, take a
license from such patent  holders,  or redesign our products.  We do not believe
any of our products  currently  infringe patents or other proprietary  rights of
third  parties,  but we cannot be certain  they do not do so. In  addition,  the
legal costs and engineering time required to safeguard  intellectual property or
to defend against  litigation could become a significant  expense of operations.
Such  events  could  have  a  material   adverse   effect  on  our  revenues  or
profitability.


We Must Carefully Manage Our Future Growth.

     Growth in our sales or continued  expansion in the scope of our  operations
could  strain  our  current  management,  financial,   manufacturing  and  other
resources  and may require us to implement  and improve a variety of  operating,
financial  and other  systems,  procedures  and controls.  Specifically  we have
experienced  strain in our financial and order management system, as a result of
our acquisitions.  We are expanding our sales,  accounting,  manufacturing,  and
other information systems to meet these challenges. These systems, procedures or
controls may not be adequate to support our  operations and may not be designed,
implemented or improved in a cost  effective and timely  manner.  Any failure to
implement,  improve and expand such systems, procedures and controls in a timely
and efficient  manner could harm our growth  strategy and  adversely  affect our
financial condition and ability to achieve our business objectives.


We Are Dependent on Retaining and  Attracting  Highly  Skilled  Development  and
Managerial Personnel.

     Our ability to maintain our competitive technological position will depend,
in a large  part,  on our  ability  to  attract,  motivate,  and  retain  highly
qualified  development  and  managerial  personnel.  Competition  for  qualified
employees in our industry and location is intense, and there can be no assurance
that we will be able to attract,  motivate and retain enough qualified employees
necessary for the future continued development of our business and products.


We May Encounter Problems Associated With International Operations and Sales.

     Our  customers  are located  throughout  the world.  Sales to  unaffiliated
customers in foreign locations represented  approximately 49% of our revenues in
our fiscal  year 2002,  50% in our fiscal  year 2001 and 52% in our fiscal  year
2000.  In addition,  we have  significant  international  operations,  including
manufacturing facilities,  sales personnel and customer support operations.  Our
international sales organization  contains offices in 21 foreign countries.  Our
international  manufacturing facilities are in Sweden and Germany, and we have a
regional  fulfillment  center in the  Netherlands.  Our  international  presence
exposes us to risks not faced by wholly  domestic  companies.  Specifically,  we
have experienced issues relating to integration of foreign  operations,  greater
difficulty in accounts receivable collection, longer payment cycles and currency
fluctuations. Additionally, we face the following risks, among others:

o    unexpected changes in regulatory requirements;

o    tariffs and other trade barriers;

o    political, legal and economic instability in foreign markets,  particularly
     in  those  markets  in  which  we  maintain   manufacturing   and  research
     facilities;

o    difficulties in staffing and management;

o    language and cultural barriers;  seasonal reductions in business activities
     in the summer months in Europe and some other countries;

o    war and acts of terrorism; and

o    potentially adverse tax consequences.

     Although we  implemented  a program to attempt to manage  foreign  exchange
risks through hedging and other strategies,  there can be no assurance that this
program will be successful and that currency exchange rate fluctuations will not
have a material  adverse  effect on our results of operations.  In addition,  in
certain foreign markets,  there may be reluctance to purchase  products based on
GPS technology, given the control of GPS by the U.S. Government.


We are exposed to fluctuations in Currency Exchange Rates.

     A  significant  portion of our  business  is  conducted  outside the United
States, and as such, we face exposure to adverse movements in non-U.S.  currency
exchange  rates.  These  exposures  may change over time as  business  practices
evolve and could have a material  adverse  impact on our  financial  results and
cash flows.  Compared  to fiscal  2001,  in fiscal  2002,  the US  currency  has
weakened against other currencies.

     Currently,  we hedge only those currency exposures  associated with certain
assets and liabilities denominated in nonfunctional  currencies and periodically
will hedge  anticipated  foreign  currency  cash flows.  The hedging  activities
undertaken by us are intended to offset the impact of currency  fluctuations  on
certain  nonfunctional  currency assets and  liabilities.  Our attempts to hedge
against these risks may not be successful  resulting in an adverse impact on our
net income.

     The affect of the movement in foreign  exchange rates has been reflected in
the  Cumulative  Translation  Adjustment  included  in  the  Accumulative  Other
Comprehensive  Loss positioned in the  Shareholders'  Equity on our Consolidated
Balance Sheet Statement located in this Report.


We Are Subject to the Impact of Governmental and Other Similar Certifications.

     We market  certain  products that are subject to  governmental  and similar
certifications  before  they can be sold.  For  example,  CE  certification  for
radiated  emissions is required  for most GPS  receiver and data  communications
products sold in the European Union. An inability to obtain such  certifications
in a timely manner could have an adverse effect on our operating results.  Also,
our products  that use  integrated  radio  communication  technology  require an
end-user to obtain  licensing from the Federal  Communications  Commission (FCC)
for  frequency-band  usage.  These are  secondary  licenses  that are subject to
certain  restrictions.  During the fourth quarter of 1998,  the FCC  temporarily
suspended  the  issuance of licenses  for  certain of our  real-time  kinematics
products  because of  interference  with  certain  other users of similar  radio
frequencies.  An inability or delay in obtaining such  certifications or changes
to the rules by the FCC could adversely affect our ability to bring our products
to market,  which  could  harm our  customer  relationships  and have a material
adverse effect on our business.


Our Stock Price May Be Volatile.

     The price of our common stock can be expected to fluctuate substantially as
it has in the past.  The price  could react to actual or  anticipated  quarterly
variations in results of operations,  announcements of technological innovations
or new  products by us or our  competitors,  developments  related to patents or
other  intellectual  property  rights,  developments  in our  relationship  with
customers,  suppliers,  or strategic  partners  and other events or factors.  In
addition, any shortfall or changes in revenue, gross margins, earnings, or other
financial  results  from  analysts'  expectations  could  cause the price of our
common stock to fluctuate significantly. Additionally, macro-economic factors as
well as market  climate  for the  high-technology  sector  could also impact the
trading price of our stock.






                           FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

     This   prospectus   contains   or   incorporates   by   reference   certain
forward-looking  statements  within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities
Act and Section 21E of the Securities  Exchange Act,  including those identified
by  the   words   "believes",   "expects"   and   similar   expressions.   These
forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding estimated
operating results for future periods contained in our Current report on Form 8-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 4, 2003.


     These  statements are subject to risks and  uncertainties,  including those
set  forth  in the  Risk  Factors  section,  and  actual  results  could  differ
materially   from  those   expressed  or  implied  in  these   statements.   All
forward-looking  statements  included in this prospectus are made as of the date
hereof. We assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking  statement or
reason why actual  results  might  differ  except as required by the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  You should not place undue  reliance on these
forward-looking statements.


USE OF PROCEEDS

     Unless  otherwise  indicated in the applicable  prospectus  supplement,  we
anticipate  that the net proceeds  from the sale of the  securities  that we may
offer under this prospectus and any accompanying  prospectus  supplement will be
used for general  corporate  purposes.  General  corporate  purposes may include
repayment  of debt,  capital  expenditures  and any other  purposes  that we may
specify in any prospectus  supplement.  In addition, we may use a portion of any
net proceeds to acquire complementary products,  technologies or businesses.  We
will have significant discretion in the use of any net proceeds.  Investors will
be relying on the judgment of our  management  regarding the  application of the
proceeds  of any  sale  of  the  securities.  We may  invest  the  net  proceeds
temporarily until we use them for their stated purpose.






                  DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON STOCK WE MAY OFFER

     The following description of our common stock, together with the additional
information included in any applicable  prospectus  supplements,  summarizes the
material terms and  provisions of our common stock but is not complete.  For the
complete  terms  of  our  common  stock,  please  refer  to our  Articles  of
Incorporation   and  Bylaws  that  are   incorporated   by  reference  into  the
registration  statement,  which includes this prospectus.  We will describe in a
prospectus  supplement  the  specific  terms of any  common  stock we may  offer
pursuant to this prospectus. If indicated in a prospectus supplement,  the terms
of such common stock may differ from the terms described below.

Common Stock

     Under our  Articles  of  Incorporation  we may issue up to forty million
(40,000,000)  shares  of common  stock.  The  holders  of our  common  stock are
entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a
vote of the  shareholders.  Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any
outstanding  preferred  stock,  holders of common  stock are entitled to receive
ratably such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors out of funds
legally available for that purpose. In the event of liquidation,  dissolution or
winding up of Trimble, the holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably
in all  assets  remaining  after  payment of  liabilities,  subject to the prior
distribution rights of any outstanding  preferred stock. The common stock has no
preemptive  or  conversion  rights or other  subscription  rights.  There are no
redemption  or sinking  fund  provisions  applicable  to the common  stock.  The
outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.

     Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq  National  Market under the symbol
"TRMB." The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Mellon Investor
Services LLC, 235  Montgomery  Street,  23rd Floor,  San  Francisco,  California
94104.





                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     We may  sell the  securities  being  offered  pursuant  to this  prospectus
directly to purchasers,  to or through underwriters,  through dealers or agents,
or through a combination of such methods. The prospectus supplement with respect
to the  securities  being  offered  will set forth  the  terms of the  offering,
including the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, the purchase
price, the net proceeds to Trimble,  any underwriting  discounts and other items
constituting underwriters'  compensation,  and initial public offering price and
any  discounts  or  concessions  allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers and any
securities exchanges on which such securities may be listed.

     If  underwriters  are used in an offering,  we will execute an underwriting
agreement with such  underwriters  and will specify the name of each underwriter
and the terms of the transaction (including any underwriting discounts and other
terms  constituting  compensation  of the  underwriters  and any  dealers)  in a
prospectus  supplement.  If an  underwriting  syndicate  is used,  the  managing
underwriter(s) will be specified on the cover of the prospectus  supplement.  If
underwriters  are used in the sale, the offered  securities  will be acquired by
the  underwriters  for their own accounts and may be resold from time to time in
one or more transactions,  including negotiated transactions,  at a fixed public
offering price or at varying  prices  determined at the time of sale. Any public
offering price and any discounts or concessions  allowed or reallowed or paid to
dealers  may be changed  from time to time.  Unless  otherwise  set forth in the
prospectus  supplement,  the  obligations  of the  underwriters  to purchase the
offered securities will be subject to conditions  precedent and the underwriters
will  be  obligated  to  purchase  all  of the  offered  securities  if any  are
purchased.

     If dealers  are used in an  offering,  we will sell the  securities  to the
dealers as principals.  The dealers then may resell the securities to the public
at varying prices,  which they determine at the time of resale. The names of the
dealers  and the terms of the  transaction  will be  specified  in a  prospectus
supplement.

     The  securities  may be sold directly by us or through agents we designate.
If agents are used in an offering,  the names of the agents and the terms of the
agency will be specified in a prospectus supplement.  Unless otherwise indicated
in a prospectus supplement,  the agents will act on a best-efforts basis for the
period of their appointment.

     Dealers and agents  named in a  prospectus  supplement  may be deemed to be
underwriters  (within  the  meaning  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933)  of the
securities  described therein. In addition,  we may sell the securities directly
to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within
the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any resales thereof.

     Underwriters,  dealers and agents, may be entitled to indemnification by us
against specific civil liabilities,  including  liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933, or to contribution  with respect to payments which the underwriters
or agents may be  required to make in respect  thereof,  under  underwriting  or
other agreements.  The terms of any indemnification provisions will be set forth
in a prospectus  supplement.  Certain underwriters,  dealers or agents and their
associates may engage in transactions  with, and perform  services for us in the
ordinary course of business.

     If so indicated in a prospectus supplement,  we will authorize underwriters
or other  persons  acting as our  agents  to  solicit  offers  by  institutional
investors to purchase securities pursuant to contracts providing for payment and
delivery on a future date. We may enter  contracts  with  commercial and savings
banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and
charitable  institutions and other institutional  investors.  The obligations of
any institutional investor will be subject to the condition that its purchase of
the  offered  securities  will  not be  illegal,  at the time of  delivery.  The
underwriters  and other  agents  will not be  responsible  for the  validity  or
performance of contracts.

     Any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus  supplement will be eligible
for quotation and trading on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance. Any
underwriters to whom securities are sold by Trimble for public offering and sale
may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated
to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice.

                             VALIDITY OF SECURITIES

     The validity of the common stock offered  pursuant to this  prospectus will
be  passed  upon by  Skadden,  Arps,  Slate,  Meagher  & Flom  LLP,  Palo  Alto,
California, counsel to Trimble Navigation Limited.

                                     EXPERTS

     Ernst & Young LLP,  independent  auditors,  have  audited our  consolidated
financial  statements  and schedules  included in our Annual report on form 10-K
for the year ended January 3, 2003, as set forth in their report,  dated January
24, 2003, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in
the  registration   statement.   Our  financial  statements  and  schedules  are
incorporated  by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP's  report,  given on
their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") allows us to "incorporate by
reference" the  information we file with them,  which means that we can disclose
important  information  to  you  by  referring  you  to  those  documents.   The
information  incorporated  by  reference  is  considered  to  be  part  of  this
prospectus,  and information that we file later with the SEC will  automatically
update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents
listed  below and any future  filings  we will make with the SEC under  Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     The documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus are:

     (a)  Our Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal  year ended  January 3,
          2003;

     (b)  Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 4, 2003;

     (c)  The  description  of our common stock  contained  in our  Registration
          Statement  on Form 8-A filed on June 15,  1990,  and any  amendment or
          report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

     (d)  The  description  of  certain  dividend  rights  on our  common  stock
          contained in our Registration  Statement on Form 8-A filed on February
          18, 1999.

     All  documents  subsequently  filed by Trimble  pursuant to Section  13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the
date of this  registration  statement  and  prior to the  effectiveness  of this
registration statement, shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by reference.

     Any  statement  contained in a document that is  incorporated  by reference
will be modified or  superseded  for all purposes to the extent that a statement
contained in this  prospectus  (or in any other  document  that is  subsequently
filed with the SEC and  incorporated  by  reference)  modifies or is contrary to
that previous  statement.  Any  statement so modified or superseded  will not be
deemed a part of this  prospectus  except as so modified or superseded.  We will
furnish to you without charge,  upon your request a copy of any of the documents
incorporated in this  prospectus and any statement in, or incorporated  in, this
prospectus by reference, other than the exhibits to those documents unless those
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference. For a copy of the documents
you  should  contact  Trimble  Navigation  Limited,   6645  North  Mary  Avenue,
Sunnyvale,  California 94088 (telephone number (408) 481-8000), Attention: Irwin
L. Kwatek, Vice President and General Counsel.

                       WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934,  as  amended,  and  accordingly  we must  file  reports  and  other
information with the SEC. All reports and other information,  filed with the SEC
are   available   to  you  over  the   Internet   at  the   SEC's  web  site  at
http://www.sec.gov.  You may read and copy any documents we file with the SEC at
the SEC's Public Reference Room located at 450 Fifth Street,  N.W.,  Washington,
D.C. 20549, or at the SEC's regional  offices in New York, New York and Chicago,
Illinois.  Please call the SEC at  1-800-SEC-0330 or visit the SEC's website for
more information about the SEC's public reference facilities. The address of our
website is www.trimble.com. The information on our website is not a part of this
prospectus.



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                   Prospectus
                                                                            Page


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS..........................................................1
SUMMARY........................................................................2
RISK FACTORS...................................................................3
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS....................................................11
USE OF PROCEEDS...............................................................11
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON STOCK WE MAY OFFER..................................12
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION..........................................................13
VALIDITY OF SECURITIES........................................................14
EXPERTS.......................................................................14
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE.............................14
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION...........................................14






                                     PART II
                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

     The  following  table  sets  forth the costs and  expenses  payable  by the
Registrant  in  connection  with the  offerings  described in this  registration
statement.  In addition to the costs and expenses  set forth below,  we will pay
any selling commissions and brokerage fees and any applicable taxes and fees and
disbursements  ("Sales  Fees") with  respect to  securities  registered  by this
prospectus  which we may sell,  but these  fees  cannot  be  predicted  with any
certainty  at  this  time  due  to the  uncertainty  as to the  number  of  such
securities.  All of the amounts shown are estimates  except the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission ("SEC") registration fee.

           SEC registration fee...................              $8,090
           Legal fees and expenses................              $5,000
           Accounting fees and expenses...........              $3,500
           Miscellaneous expenses.................              $1,000
                                                              --------
           Total..................................             $17,590

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     Section  317 of the  California  Corporations  Code  authorizes  a court to
award,  or a corporation's  board of directors to grant,  indemnity to directors
and officers in terms  sufficiently broad to permit  indemnification,  including
reimbursement of expenses incurred,  under certain circumstances for liabilities
arising  under  the   Securities   Act  of  1933.   Our  restated   articles  of
incorporation, as amended, and amended bylaws provide for indemnification of our
directors,  officers, employees and other agents to the maximum extent permitted
by  the  California  Corporations  Code.  In  addition,  we  have  entered  into
indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers.

Item 16. Exhibits

Exhibit Description of Exhibit
Number

1.1     Form of Underwriting Agreement*

3.1     Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company filed June 25, 1986.
        (2)

3.2     Certificate of Amendment of Articles of  Incorporation  of the Company
        filed October 6, 1988. (2)

3.3     Certificate of Amendment of Articles of  Incorporation  of the Company
        filed July 18, 1990. (2)

3.4     Certificate of  Determination  of the Company filed February 19, 1999.
        (2)

3.8     Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company. (3)

4.1     Preferred Shares Rights Agreement dated as of February 18, 1999. (1)

5.1     Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.

23.2    Consent of  Skadden,  Arps,  Slate,  Meagher & Flom LLP  (included  in
        Exhibit 5.1).

24.1    Powers of Attorney (included on signature page herein).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* To be filed by amendment or by a report on Form 8-K.

     (1)  Incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  No.  1 to  the  registrant's
          Registration  Statement  on Form 8-A,  which was filed on February 18,
          1999.

     (2)  Incorporated  by reference  to  identically  numbered  exhibits to the
          registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the  fiscal  year  ended
          January 1, 1999.

     (3)  Incorporated by reference to exhibit number 10.82 to the  registrant's
          Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 12, 2002.


Item 17. Undertakings

     We hereby undertake:

     (1) to file,  during any period in which  offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

          (i)  to include any  prospectus  required  by Section  10(a)(3) of the
               Securities Act of 1933;

          (ii) to reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising after
               the  effective  date of the  registration  statement (or the most
               recent post-effective  amendment thereof) which,  individually or
               in  the  aggregate,   represent  a  fundamental   change  in  the
               information   set   forth   in   the   registration    statement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of  securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities
               offered  would not  exceed  that  which was  registered)  and any
               deviation  from  the low or  high  end of the  estimated  maximum
               offering  range may be reflected in the form of prospectus  filed
               with the SEC  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the  aggregate,  the
               changes  in volume  and price  represent  no more than 20 percent
               change in the maximum  aggregate  offering price set forth in the
               "Calculation  of   Registration   Fee"  table  in  the  effective
               registration statement;

          (iii)to include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
               distribution   not  previously   disclosed  in  the  registration
               statement  or any  material  change  to such  information  in the
               registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i)
               and  (1)(ii)  do not  apply  if the  information  required  to be
               included in a  post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is
               contained in periodic  reports filed with or furnished to the SEC
               by us pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange
               Act  of  1934  that  are   incorporated   by   reference  in  the
               registration statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933,  each  such  post-effective  amendment  shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

     We hereby  undertake  that, for purposes of determining any liability under
the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of our annual report pursuant to Section
13(a) or  Section  15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and,  where
applicable, each filing of our employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to
Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934) that is  incorporated  by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities  offered therein,  and the offering of such
securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the  initial  bona fide  offering
thereof.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to our  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons
pursuant  to the  provisions  described  in Item 15 or  otherwise,  we have been
advised that in the opinion of the SEC such  indemnification  is against  public
policy as expressed in the Act and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than the
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by our director,  officer
or  controlling  person  in the  successful  defense  of  any  action,  suit  or
proceeding)  is  asserted by such  director,  officer or  controlling  person in
connection with the securities being registered,  we will, unless in the opinion
of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a
court of appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification by
itself is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities Act of 1933 and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

     We hereby undertake that:

     (1) For purposes of determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of
1933, the information  omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this
registration  statement  in reliance  upon Rule 430A and  contained in a form of
prospectus  filed by the registrant  pursuant to Rule 424(b)(l) or (4) or 497(h)
under  the  Securities  Act  shall  be  deemed  to be part of this  registration
statement as of the time it was declared effective.

     (2) For the purpose of determining  any liability  under the Securities Act
of 1933, each post-effective  amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall
be deemed to be a new registration  statement relating to the securities offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.





                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  Trimble
Navigation  Limited certifies that it has reasonable  grounds to believe that it
meets all of the  requirements  for filing on Form S-3 and has duly  caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Sunnyvale, California, on March 7, 2003.

                                          Trimble Navigation Limited

                                          By: /s/ Mary Ellen Genovese
                                          ---------------------------
                                          Name: Mary Ellen Genovese
                                          Title: Chief Financial Officer



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL  PERSONS  BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that each  person  whose  signature
appears  below  constitutes  and  appoints  Steven W.  Berglund  and Mary  Ellen
Genovese,  and each of them individually (with full power to each of them to act
alone),  as his or her true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  and  agent,  with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name,
place  and  stead,  in any and all  capacities,  to sign any and all  amendments
(including  post-effective  amendments) to this  Registration  Statement and any
related Rule 462(b) registration statement or amendment thereto, and to file the
same,  with all exhibits  thereto and other  documents in connection  therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that each of said  attorneys-in-fact  or any of them, or his or their substitute
or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
registration  statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons,  in the
capacities indicated, as of March 7, 2003.

Name                             Title


/s/ Steven W. Berglund           President, Chief Executive Officer, Director
---------------------------
Steven W. Berglund


  /s/ Mary Ellen Genovese        Chief Financial Officer
Mary Ellen Genovese


  /s/ Anup V. Singh              Corporate Controller
---------------------------
Anup V. Singh


  /s/ Robert S. Cooper           Director
---------------------------
Robert S. Cooper


  /s/ John B. Goodrich           Director
---------------------------
John B. Goodrich


  /s/ William Hart               Director
William Hart


  /s/ Ulf J. Johansson           Director
---------------------------
Ulf J. Johansson


  /s/ Bradford W. Parkinson      Director
---------------------------
Bradford W. Parkinson





Index to the Exhibits

Exhibit  Description of Exhibit
Number

 1.1     Form of Underwriting Agreement*

 3.1     Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company filed June 25, 1986.
         (2)

 3.2     Certificate of Amendment of Articles of  Incorporation  of the Company
         filed October 6, 1988. (2)

 3.3     Certificate of Amendment of Articles of  Incorporation  of the Company
         filed July 18, 1990. (2)

 3.4     Certificate of  Determination  of the Company filed February 19, 1999.
         (2)

 3.8     Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company. (3)

 4.1     Preferred Shares Rights Agreement dated as of February 18, 1999. (1)

 5.1     Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

 23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.

 23.2    Consent of  Skadden,  Arps,  Slate,  Meagher & Flom LLP  (included  in
         Exhibit 5.1).

 24.1    Powers of Attorney (included on signature page herein).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* To be filed by amendment or by a report on Form 8-K.

(1)  Incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 1 to the registrant's Registration
     Statement on Form 8-A, which was filed on February 18, 1999.

(2)  Incorporated  by  reference  to  identically   numbered   exhibits  to  the
     registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January
     1, 1999.

(3)  Incorporated  by  reference  to exhibit  number  10.82 to the  registrant's
     Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 12, 2002.