PNT as an important response to Jamming and Spoofing
Today’s aviation system’s safety benefits from a dependable, precise, global navigation system called Global Positioning System (GPS). This otherwise virtually infallible system has been disrupted by nefarious parties and the incidence of jamming and spoofing are dangerously on the rise. Below is an article about a
new technology called POSITIONING, NAVIGATION AND TIMING (PNT).
A 2021NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR POSITIONING, NAVIGATION, AND TIMING RESILIENCE describes this technology as
“Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) refers to capabilities that allow for the determination of location (positioning), the ability to traverse to a new location along a path (navigation), and the knowledge of the current time (timing), all with a high level of precision” …
The report continues to explain the new threat:
The PNT signals received from GNSS are exceptionally low power compared to other radio signals. This makes it easy to interfere with GNSS receivers. Interference arises from intentionally and unintentionally produced RF waveforms that overwhelm the satellite signal, thus degrading or denying a receiver’s ability to operate. DELIBERATE INTERFERENCE is categorized as jamming or spoofing. JAMMING is the production of signals that have the same effect as interference; the only difference is the intent to degrade or deny a target receiver’s operation. SPOOFING, also known as manipulation, is the creation of signals that mimic true signals in some ways, but deny, degrade, disrupt, or deceive a receiver’s operation when they are processed…
On the basis of this report, the United States and private industry entered into a research campaign.
The below article discusses a successful first flight with an Infleqetion / BAE SYSTEMS / QinetiQ Quantum Inertial Navigation System, a PNT guidance and navigation system. This UK product development was supported by an $8.66 billion investment by the UK Research and Innovation. The technical description from the article is as follows:
“An optical atomic clock uses the frequency of light emitted or absorbed by atoms as they change energy levels in order to measure time with incredible precision. Meanwhile, ultra-cold quantum systems can calculate position based on measurements of inertial forces acting on atoms held in quantum superposition states ….”
The above image is a part of the L3 Harris NTS-3: Transforming PNT and according to the company’s website “Nearly all sectors of our nation’s critical infrastructure rely on the power of PNT – 13 of 16 sectors to be exact. It has become embedded in our daily lives and throughout every industry.
The US research is continuing to advance PNT’s capabilities:
- Aloft Sensing:
- Aloft brings innovative self-contained navigation techniques to radar sensing from autonomous platforms. Their approach promises to transform Earth observation, tactical ISR, and assured PNT data collection.
- Conveh Advanced Systems:
- Conveh specializes in advanced tracking solutions and applies Artificial Intelligence to PNT. They focus on complementary solutions for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
- Focus Telecom:
- Focus Telecom is an innovator in GPS security. Their patented technologies protect critical infrastructure against attacks on PNT systems while ensuring continuity of timing and navigation capability.
- Geospatial Alpha:
- Geospatial Alpha, formed in 2019, is an authority in geospatial technologies. They excel in positioning, navigation, and timing, space domain intelligence, remote sensing, and deep space technologies.
- infiniDome:
- infiniDome provides front-end cyber solutions to protect wireless communications from jamming attacks. Their GPS protection solutions safeguard critical systems, including drones, unmanned vehicles, and defense applications1.
- Iridium® Satellite Time and Location (STL):
- istlink:
- istlink conducts R&D, design, and manufacturing of positioning, navigation, and communications systems. They focus on GPS-denied environments and solutions for various industries.
- Collins Aerospace NaviHub-100:
- Generates Assured Position, Navigation and Timing Information for on aircraft
[credit: CoPilot AI]
That said, searches do not discover installation on US civil aircraft. Before a PNT may be added to a civil aircraft, the FAA requires that a Supplemental Type Certificate must be approved. an applicant has received FAA approval to modify an aeronautical product from its original design. It incorporates, by reference, the related TC, approves the modification and how that modification affects the original design. While not applicable to commercial airplanes, a policy recognizing the value of safety advancing equipment for GA aircraft may be extended, perhaps with the help of a subject matter expert, to Part 25 aircraft—particularly in light of the increasing global threat of jamming and spoofing.
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UK completes world’s first flights for quantum navigation that could replace GPS
The ‘un-jammable’ tech has been put through its paces at the MoD’s facilities in Wiltshire
A British consortium with funding from the UK government has successfully tested what it calls “un-jammable” quantum navigation tech in flight.
Geopolitical tensions and warfare have introduced GPS jamming as a means of messing with enemy communication and navigation. This can cause disturbances for both military and civilian transportation and location services.
The quantum-based navigation system is called POSITIONING, NAVIGATION, AND TIMING (PNT). Its developers are quantum technology firm INFLEQTION’S UK subsidiary in collaboration with aerospace company BAE SYSTEMS AND DEFENCE tech contractor QinetiQ, among others.
The tech in question consists of Infleqtion’s Tiqker optical atomic clock, as well as a tightly confined ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system.
An optical atomic clock uses the frequency of light emitted or absorbed by atoms as they change energy levels in order to measure time with incredible precision. Meanwhile, ultra-cold quantum systems can calculate position based on measurements of inertial forces acting on atoms held in quantum superposition states.
Developing a Quantum Inertial Navigation System
Optical atomic clocks provide the timing needed for high accuracy and reliability, while quantum positioning systems offer independent verification of position and motion.
Together with quantum accelerometers and gyroscopes, they can form part of a Quantum Inertial Navigation System (Q-INS), which can offer an alternative to GPS. The system functions independently of external navigation input from satellites, which means that Q-INS would be naturally resistant to jamming and other forms of electronic interference.
…
“From passenger flights to shipping, we all depend on navigation systems that are accurate, safe, and secure. The scientific research we are supporting here on quantum technology could well provide the resilience to protect our interests,” said Science Minister Andrew Griffith, who was on the final test flight which took place on Thursday, May 9.
The nearly £8mn for the project, which seeks to reduce the country’s dependency on GNSS/GPS for location, navigation and timing data, came from UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION (UKRI). It forms part of Mission 4 of the UK’s National Quantum Strategy, which by 2030 aims to deploy quantum navigation systems on aircraft in order to boost strategic resilience.
However, its potential stretches beyond reducing vulnerability to attack from malevolent actors. In the words of Henry White, Sensing Technology Lead at BAE Systems, this kind of quantum technology could “ultimately offer a significant military advantage. Knowing reliably and precisely when and where any asset and sensor system are, feeds into additional options for platform design and capability.”
This, White added, could play a big role in the development of next-generation combat air systems.
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