GPS World

Category: Defense

  • BKZS: Türkiye’s regional GNSS system takes shape

    BKZS: Türkiye’s regional GNSS system takes shape

    Türkiye is laying the groundwork for its own satellite navigation system, the Bölgesel Konumlama ve Zamanlama Sistemi (BKZS), or Regional Positioning and Timing System. As a key pillar of Türkiye’s 2030 Industry and Technology Strategy, BKZS reflects the country’s ambition to gain strategic autonomy in satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), moving away from dependence on foreign systems such as GPS.

    Strategic imperatives and security concerns

    BKZS was established as one of the ten flagship goals of Türkiye’s National Space Program, introduced in 2021. It directly addresses growing national security concerns: in times of geopolitical conflict, GNSS signals can be jammed or disabled — leaving nations vulnerable if reliant on foreign services. President Erdoğan’s 2030 roadmap emphasizes preparing for “a new era of challenges,” where technological independence is seen as vital to national sovereignty.

    Building the foundation: Atomic clocks and CubeSats

    At the core of BKZS development is innovative timing technology. The TUBITAK National Metrology Institute has designed Türkiye’s first domestically produced rubidium-based atomic clock for use in positioning satellites. Developed in collaboration with the Turkish Space Agency, the prototype is undergoing qualification testing. Considering that atomic clocks are among the most expensive and sensitive components of a GNSS system, their in-house development not only reduces reliance on foreign suppliers but also delivers significant cost savings and strengthens national expertise. The strategic plan involves an initial technology demonstration phase using a 6U CubeSat, a miniaturized satellite based on the CubeSat standard. This satellite — currently in production — will test the atomic clock in orbit and gather critical performance data, helping to validate system components and gain operational experience ahead of full deployment.

    Regional scope with global ambitions

    BKZS is being designed as a regional system focused on Türkiye and its surrounding geography. Preliminary architecture envisions an eight-satellite constellation with an estimated cost of $2.8 billion. While this figure underscores the program’s scale, it also reflects the strategic priority attached to securing sovereign PNT capabilities. Military users stand to gain the most immediate benefits, with access to secure, independent timing and positioning data. However, the system is also intended for broad civilian use, including smart transportation systems, precision agriculture, emergency response and disaster management.

    Integrated into a broader space strategy

    BKZS is not being developed in isolation. It is part of Türkiye’s wider National Space Program, which includes lunar exploration and autonomous launch capabilities. The Turkish Space Agency oversees coordination, while the Presidency of Defense Industries provides funding and logistical support. This ecosystem approach is designed to foster technological self-reliance across the entire space value chain. Notably, the private sector is also playing a role. Baykar’s space subsidiary, Fergani, is developing a complementary Turkish GNSS constellation with an ambitious plan to launch 100 satellites. Two of these satellites have already been built, with the first scheduled for launch in 2024, demonstrating multiple pathways toward achieving full domestic capability.

    Economic impact and industrial development

    BKZS also supports Türkiye’s economic goals. The 2030 Strategy includes a target to triple high-tech exports to $30 billion. Space technology is expected to contribute significantly to this goal by generating new opportunities for Turkish firms in satellite design, navigation electronics and advanced manufacturing.

    By fostering domestic expertise, BKZS strengthens the foundation for a sustainable, self-sufficient aerospace sector, one capable of supporting both defense and commercial applications.

    Aligning with a global trend

    Türkiye’s efforts echo a growing global trend: building regional or national GNSS systems to reduce reliance on global services. Reflecting this shift, India’s NavIC is a fully operational regional GNSS; Japan’s QZSS, also operational, functions primarily as a GPS augmentation system over the Asia-Pacific; South Korea’s KPS is currently under development to provide independent PNT services across the Korean Peninsula. China’s BeiDou system also began as a regional constellation focused on the Asia-Pacific before expanding to become a global navigation system. Türkiye’s geographic position — at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East — positions it uniquely as a potential regional hub for satellite navigation services. While the project is rooted in national objectives, it also opens the door to international cooperation. Italy has emerged as a prospective partner, particularly in advancing space-qualified technologies, offering mutual benefits for both countries.

    Looking ahead

    Beyond 2030, TTürkiye envisions BKZS as a stepping stone toward a broader space infrastructure. This initiative signifies a strategic commitment to establishing a sustained and autonomous presence in space.

    Of course, the success of BKZS will depend on more than ambition. Sustained political commitment, reliable funding, and continued advances in core technologies like atomic clocks and satellite systems will be essential. If these conditions are met, BKZS has the potential not only to enhance Türkiye’s strategic autonomy but also to establish the country as a key contributor to regional — and potentially global — GNSS capability.

  • HBK shrinks tactical-grade navigation into a 15g GNSS/INS

    HBK shrinks tactical-grade navigation into a 15g GNSS/INS

    MicroStrain by HBK has launched the 3DM-CV7-GNSS/INS, an ultra-compact, tactical-grade inertial navigation system (INS) designed for seamless integration into space-constrained platforms.

    Combining advanced inertial technology with tightly coupled, onboard dual-frequency GNSS receivers, the 3DM-CV7-GNSS/INS delivers the precision and reliability needed for navigation and localization in dynamic environments, particularly those where GNSS signals may be weak, intermittent, or denied altogether.

    From autonomous robotics to drones and unmanned ground vehicles, this new solution helps engineers overcome one of the toughest challenges in modern navigation: achieving consistent, high-quality data in challenging conditions.

    Weighing 15.6 grams and measuring 38x30x10mm, the 3DM-CV7-GNSS/INS offers tactical-grade performance without size, weight, or cost trade-offs. Its user-friendly functionality, adaptive extended Kalman Filter, and full industrial temperature calibration deliver robust and reliable data acquisition across a wide range of real-world scenarios.

    Engineers benefit from the sensor’s compatibility with open-source platforms such as PX4 and ROS, which enables faster development cycles and easier integration into existing architectures.

  • High-Q ceramic filters help overcome GNSS jamming

    High-Q ceramic filters help overcome GNSS jamming

    High-Q ceramic bandpass filters present a technical opportunity to build jamming-resistant GNSS receivers for mission-critical applications, according to a blog by Knowles Precision Devices.

    Bandpass filters play a critical role in mitigating GNSS jamming by isolating legitimate satellite signals from interference. These filters are designed to allow frequencies within the GNSS operational bands (GPS L1/L2, Galileo E1/E5) while attenuating out-of-band noise and intentional jamming signals.

    With their low cost and compact form factor, surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters are a natural fit for GNSS receivers, but they struggle in high-interference conditions due to limited out-of-band rejection and broader skirts, Knowles’ Peter Matthews explains. While SAW filters continue to meet performance requirements for consumer devices and systems, high-Q ceramic filters offer a robust upgrade for mission-critical applications needing mechanical and thermal stability, predictable tuning characteristics, and long-term reliability. 

    Image: Knowles
    Image: Knowles

    Q factor is used as shorthand figure of merit (FOM) for RF filters. In short, Q factor is expressed as the ratio of stored versus lost energy per oscillation cycle. It describes specifications like the steepness of skirts (that is, the selectivity) and insertion loss. Overall, losses through a resonator increase as Q factor decrease and will increase more rapidly with frequency for lower values of resonator Q. 

    Knowles’ high-Q ceramic filters offer: 

    • Sharp Skirts: Enable precise filtering near the band edges.
    • High Rejection: Attenuates out-of-band signals and jammers.
    • Low Insertion Loss: Preserves the integrity of weak GNSS signals. 

    These attributes are especially important in military and aerospace platforms where GNSS must function reliably in the face of hostile electronic countermeasures. High-Q ceramic filters enable precise frequency discrimination, ensuring that only legitimate GNSS signals reach the receiver.

    “Consider a drone conducting reconnaissance in a contested area or an autonomous harvester navigating with sub-inch precision on a farm,” Matthews explained. “Both scenarios require high signal clarity. Knowles’ high-Q ceramic filters, like the GPS L1, are engineered for use in L-band GNSS applications. These filters demonstrate low passband insertion loss (<2.0 dB), high out-of-band rejection (up to 40 dB), and compact dimensions, making them ideal for both portable and embedded systems.

    Knowles offers a range of high-Q ceramic filters. See the GPS L1 filter datasheet for detailed specifications. 

  • Ukraine receives Shark ultralights with EW capabilities

    Ukraine receives Shark ultralights with EW capabilities

    Ukraine has received its first Shark ultralight aircraft with electronic warfare (EW) capabilities from the Czech-Slovak company Shark.Aero, reports European Security and Technology (ES&T), a German publication. The Shark can detect and jam enemy drones and will strengthen the defense of Ukraine against Russian attacks.

    The Shark’s two-seat tandem configuration was originally designed as a high-performance ultralight aircraft for civilian use. Its main features are its high speed of nearly 300 km/h and its maneuverability.

    The military version of the ultralight is designed to detect and jam enemy drones. It offers the Ukrainian army a mobile, airborne defense option against loitering UAVs and reconnaissance drones.

    Electronic warfare system

    The first EW component suppresses GNSS navigation signals; the second suppresses video and remote control channels of enemy drones. The system is installed in a suspended container under the center of the fuselage so as not to affect the aerodynamics of the craft. From an altitude of 1800 m, the system can interfere with the operation of drones within a radius of up to 4.5 km.

    A Shark representative discusses the ultralight with EW capabilities below.

  • Safran’s Skylight GNSS receiver enhances PNT resilience with Galileo PRS and M-code

    Safran’s Skylight GNSS receiver enhances PNT resilience with Galileo PRS and M-code

    Safran Electronics & Defense has launched Skylight, a multi-mode military GNSS receiver designed to withstand electronic warfare threats. The company unveiled the new receiver at the Paris Air Show, describing it as a compact and resilient GNSS solution with high integrity.

    Skylight is notable for being the first GNSS receiver to be flight-tested with compatibility for Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS). Its performance was validated during flight trials aboard a combat aircraft. The receiver delivers encrypted, spoofing-resistant PRS signals, designed to enhance security for operations in contested environments.

    The device is also compatible with M-code, ensuring interoperability with U.S. and allied military systems. Additionally, Skylight features a certified civil GPS channel, enabling navigation in civil airspace when necessary. According to Safran, this feature eliminates the need for a separate civil GPS receiver, resulting in weight and cost savings for platform integrators.

    Skyligh also incorporates advanced anti-jamming and anti-spoofing algorithms that have been proven through more than 16,000 operational cases. The receiver is designed to operate with anti-jamming antennas and is fully compatible with the SkyNaute inertial navigation system, allowing for integration into resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) architectures.

    Alexandre Ziegler, executive vice president for the Defense Global Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense, said the company already counts two leading aerospace manufacturers among the first adopters of Skylight, including Airbus Helicopters, which has selected the H225M platform to be equipped with the receiver.

    “In an era where PNT resilience is critical, Skylight delivers agility, precision and reliability with a standalone, multi-constellation GNSS receiver whose robustness is strengthened by our expertise in defensive Navwar,” Ziegler said.

  • Safran Electronics & Defense debuts resilient PNT system

    Safran Electronics & Defense debuts resilient PNT system

    Safran Electronics & Defense has introduced BlackNaute, a new autonomous positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system. The system integrates Safran’s HRG Dual Core inertial navigation technology, the Skylight multi-mode GNSS receiver board and an atomic clock to offer navigation resilience in challenging electronic warfare environments.

    BlackNaute’s built-in atomic clock is designed to maintain precise timing, which is essential for secure communications and collaborative combat operations. The system features advanced anti-jamming and anti-spoofing algorithms, which have been validated in more than 16,000 operational cases. These capabilities allow BlackNaute to detect compromised signals and automatically switch to autonomous and trusted navigation and timing sources to ensure continuity of operations.

    Its modular design allows it to be adapted across a variety of platforms. Airbus Helicopters has selected the NH90 to be equipped with this new Embedded GNSS and Time INS (EGTI).

    “What we are offering today is not just a new solution — it’s an operational guarantee, designed to meet the challenges of electromagnetic warfare,” said Alexandre Ziegler, Executive Vice President, Defense Global Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense. “It is a concentration of innovation combining precision, versatility, and security to ensure positioning, navigation and timing — anywhere, under any circumstances.”

  • The rise of precision timing for aerospace and defense applications

    The rise of precision timing for aerospace and defense applications

    In the mission-critical world of aerospace and defense, where reliability and resilience can mean the difference between success and failure, precision timing is an essential technology for increasingly sophisticated and connected systems. Every nanosecond matters, whether ensuring UAVs operate safely or enabling secure real-time communication in high-threat environments. At the heart of these systems is precision timing technology, which ensures precise synchronization within and between systems, enabling high data throughput with minimal latency.

    Aerospace and defense systems operate in some of the harshest environments on the planet, where extreme temperatures, shock and vibration and electromagnetic interference (EMI) are commonplace. While quartz technology has historically been used to deliver timing references in aerospace and defense applications, precision timing based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology has recently proven to be a superior alternative due to its better performance, resilience and reliability.

    To understand the key differences between MEMS and quartz technologies for timing devices used in aerospace and defense applications, let’s focus on size, weight and power consumption (SWaP), as well as the ability of these two distinct types of timing technologies to perform reliably and accurately in harsh, demanding operating environments.

    The Rise of MEMS Oscillators in Aerospace and Defense

    MEMS-based precision timing technology is proven and highly reliable, designed to perform reliably in the harsh environments in which aerospace and defense applications operate. Unlike quartz timing devices, MEMS-based timing devices such as resonators, oscillators and clock generators are manufactured using semiconductor processes. This silicon MEMS technology enables unparalleled miniaturization, better resilience, and higher performance across a variety of environmental conditions. By encapsulating a MEMS resonator in a vacuum-sealed cavity, these timing devices are protected from contamination, aging, and environmental disruptions such as shock and vibration.

    SiTime, a leader in MEMS-based precision timing technology, has developed a variety of MEMS-based oscillators and clocks that outperform quartz counterparts in key areas like stability, ruggedness, and SWaP. (See Figure 1.) These include popular devices such as temperature-compensated oscillators (TCXOs) and oven-controlled oscillators (OCXOs). The company’s MEMS-based Endura family of ruggedized Super-TCXOs and OCXOs, for example, is specifically designed for demanding aerospace and defense applications.

    Figure 1. MEMS OCXOs surpass vibration-rated quartz OCXOs in performance, offering superior functionality with reduced SWaP. (Credit: all photos and tables provided by author)
    Figure 1. MEMS OCXOs surpass vibration-rated quartz OCXOs in performance, offering superior functionality with reduced SWaP. (Credit: all photos and tables provided by author)

    Key Advantages of MEMS Precision Timing Devices

    • Low Phase Noise: MEMS Super-TCXOs deliver ultra-low phase noise, even in the presence of environmental stressors such as shock, vibration, and rapid temperature changes, which is essential for high-frequency RF systems such as tactical radios and satellite communication terminals. With low phase noise at 10 MHz output frequency of -165 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset and -175 dBc/Hz noise floor, these MEMS oscillators outperform typical quartz-based devices, ensuring cleaner signal transmission and better system performance.
    • Shock and Vibration Resistance: MEMS oscillators are qualified by SiTime to the highest MIL-STD-883 shock stress level of 30,000 g and customers have reported they can operate at 100,000 g shock levels. This extreme shock resistance in conjunction with ultra-low acceleration sensitivity, as low as 0.009 ppb/g total gamma, make them ideal for rugged environments including space missions, aircraft and military vehicles. In contrast, quartz oscillators are prone to failure or frequency jumps under similar conditions.
    • Temperature Stability: Super-TCXOs exhibit excellent temperature stability, with frequency stability of ±10 ppb across a temperature range of -40 °C to +105 °C. This stability is critical for aerospace and defense applications subject to rapid temperature changes, which cause traditional quartz oscillators to fail or experience frequency jumps. (See Figure 2.)
    • SWaP Efficiency: MEMS oscillators are significantly smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient than quartz devices, meeting the stringent SWaP requirements of modern aerospace systems. For example, OCXO-grade TCXOs (Elite-X) come in a compact 7.0 x 5.0 mm2 surface-mount package and consume less than 115 mW of power while delivering ±5ppb frequency stability over temperature performance. This makes them ideal for space-constrained, low-power applications like small satellites (SmallSats) and tactical communication systems.
    • Reliability: MEMS oscillators offer superior long-term reliability, with a mean time between failures (MTBF) of more than 1 billion hours – about 30 times greater than quartz-based oscillators. Additionally, MEMS devices exhibit lower aging rates than quartz, ensuring consistent performance over extended missions.
    Figure 2. Endura Epoch OCXOs are unaffected by rapid temperature changes, as simulated by air flow that is turned on and off repeatedly.
    Figure 2. Endura Epoch OCXOs are unaffected by rapid temperature changes, as simulated by air flow that is turned on and off repeatedly.

    Real-World Applications of Precision Timing Technology

    • Tactical Radios: Precision Timing is critical for secure data transmission in military communication systems. Super-TCXOs, offering low phase noise and vibration resistance, ensure signal integrity even in the harshest battlefield conditions, improving the reliability of tactical radios used by defense forces.
    • Satellite Communication Systems: Reliability, component size and power efficiency are paramount in satellite communications. MEMS oscillators enable high-bandwidth data transmission with minimal signal degradation, and their robust design ensures uninterrupted performance during mission-critical operations. Their small size and energy efficiency also make them ideal for space- and power-constrained satellite systems.
    • UAVs: UAVs are often deployed in dynamic environments where they are exposed to extreme temperatures and vibrations. MEMS oscillators, with their superior shock and vibration resistance, are a preferred timing solution for maintaining stable navigation and communications, ensuring UAVs can carry out their missions without interruption.
    • Radar Systems: Advanced radar systems depend on precise timing to synchronize signal processing, reduce interference, and optimize target detection. MEMS-based Precision Timing devices, with their high vibration resistance and temperature stability, deliver reliable performance in high-intensity environments, such as on naval vessels or fighter jets, where traditional quartz oscillators may struggle to maintain accuracy.
    Photo: SiTime chart

    The Future of Precision Timing in Aerospace and Defense

    As aerospace and defense systems become more advanced, the need for reliable precision timing solutions will continue to grow. MEMS-based oscillators, with their superior SWaP efficiency, rugged design, and inherent reliability, represent the future of Precision Timing technology in these critical sectors.

    While quartz oscillators have served the aerospace and defense and industry for decades, MEMS technology is proving to be a more effective Precision Timing solution for next-generation systems. MEMS-based TCXOs and OCXOs are setting new benchmarks for Precision Timing, offering unmatched resilience, reliability, and performance in the most demanding environments.

  • Parrot shows off Anafi UKR micro UAV for defense at Paris Air Show

    Parrot shows off Anafi UKR micro UAV for defense at Paris Air Show

    Parrot has unveiled the Anafi UKR (Ukraine) range of compact defense micro-UAV drones at the Paris Air Show. The micro-UAVs are built to meet the critical demands of field operations, from defense theaters to public safety missions.

    Developed for defense forces operating in high-threat environments, AnafiUKR brings together embedded AI, optical navigation, and full offline autonomy in a sub-1 kg format. Building on this foundation, Anafi UKR GOV adapts the platform’s capabilities to the needs of law enforcement, first responders and government agencies, ensuring the same level of resilience, tactical awareness, hardened cyber-resilience, and total data sovereignty.

    “ANAFI UKR was born from the urgent need to defend a nation’s sovereignty and freedom. We’ve taken what we learned in high-intensity, GNSS-denied conflict zones, where drones are jammed, spoofed, and hunted, and turned it into a platform that public agencies can rely on. It’s the most advanced micro-UAV we’ve ever built: sovereign, powerful, and radically easy to use. When national security and civil protection overlap, as they increasingly do, agencies need tools that don’t compromise. ANAFI UKR is our response: the best of tactical autonomy, delivered in a micro-UAV that combines intuitive operation with advanced tactical capabilities.”

    Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot

    Anafi UKR GOV is based on Parrot’s defense-grade micro-UAV deployed by several European, North American and NATO allied forces since mid-2024. Designed to remain fully operational in GNSS-denied environments and hostile electromagnetic conditions, the system integrates advanced optical navigation, anti-spoofing with frequency hopping military radio, and hardened cybersecurity architecture , all tested in live electronic warfare scenarios.

    Anafi UKR and Anafi UKR GOV are both in full production and commercially available. Deliveries are ongoing to defense and institutional clients, and the systems are now open to order for all eligible public safety agencies, law enforcement units, and government users worldwide.

  • GNSS jamming widespread in Strait of Hormuz, ships collide

    GNSS jamming widespread in Strait of Hormuz, ships collide

    GNSS jamming is causing confusion for ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, reports gCaptain. The regional threat levels are labeled “significant” because of air strikes between Iran and Israel, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC). Maritime threat levels are marked as “elevated”.

    The JMIC highlighted GNSS jamming problems around the Port of Bandar Abbas and throughout the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf regions. Nevertheless, commercial shipping traffic has continued at normal rates.

    Naivgational error is considered the cause of a collision June 17 between two tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Front Eagle, with 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude bound for China, hit the Suezmax tanker Adalynn 15 nautical miles off Fujairah. There was fire on both ships, but no injuries. The Front Eagle appeared to be onshore in Iran days before the collision.

    Nearly 1,000 ships in the Gulf have been affected by mass interference since the start of the Iran-Israel conflict on June 12, according to shipping analysis firm Windward. Recent tracking data has shown unusual positioning errors, with vessels appearing to be in impossible locations.

  • Autonomous fighter drones join the front lines in USAF operations

    Autonomous fighter drones join the front lines in USAF operations

    The U.S. Air Force is increasingly referring to its next generation of unmanned aircraft as “fighter drones,” as the service prepares to integrate these vehicles alongside traditional fighter jets in combat missions. The Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program includes two separate vehicles under development by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and Anduril, both designed to operate as combat-ready UAVs. These UAVs are being built to complement existing fighter fleets, providing additional capabilities and support during operations. According to Air Force officials, the new aircraft are expected to play a key role in future air combat by flying alongside piloted fighters and taking on a variety of tactical missions.

    One is an all-stealth design for undetected penetration of enemy defenses; the other is a sleek fighting companion.

    GA-ASI YFQ-42A fighter drone prototype (Credit: USAF)
    GA-ASI YFQ-42A fighter drone prototype (Credit: USAF)

    It appears the General Atomics YFQ-42A/CCA drew inspiration from the earlier stealth capabilities of the Avenger UAV, which has been in flight for more than a decade. This aircraft has a maximum ceiling of over 50,000 ft, flies at 400 mph, has around 15 hours of endurance and is powered by a built-in turbofan engine.

    Avenger UAV (Credit: GA-ASI/Tyson Rininger)
    Avenger UAV (Credit: GA-ASI/Tyson Rininger)

    One notable feature of the CCA version is its split, sloping “tailfin” and rounded design, along with a top fuselage air intake that shields the power plant from potential radar signals – all stealthy characteristics similar to those of its Avenger counterpart. Looking closely at the prototype, the doors on its belly appear to be for an internal weapons bay.

    Another USAF CCA prototype, built by Anduril, has been named the FYQ-44. It features a sleek and fast design, similar to earlier pre-stealth fighters, but also includes an internal weapons bay, rounded contours, and an air intake below the fuselage for a turbofan engine.

    Andruil YFQ-44 undergoes ground testing. (Credit: USAF)
    Anduril YFQ-44 undergoes ground testing. (Credit: USAF)

    The USAF’s release of these two CCA prototype contenders seems to suggest that they could be the fighter aircraft of the future. The CCA program, however, does talk about control of these armed UAVs by accompanying mainline manned fighter aircraft, but with autonomous capability to find and destroy once dispatched to attack a target.

    The intent is that these unmanned fighters will be significantly less costly to acquire than their expensive manned brothers so that high-risk targets may still be attacked and destroyed without potential loss of the flying pilot or their expensive aircraft. The unmanned fighters would be programmed by the manned aircraft and missiles in their internal weapons bay, would then go on to be controlled by onboard CCA weapons systems, which would relay data back continuously to the pilot who would have final go/no-go authority.

    Both prototypes are slated to fly later this year following extensive ground testing campaigns.

    After securing an initial $60 million contract from the USAF in 2021, Hermeus went on to raise $100 million in funding in 2022. This was followed by an investment from Raytheon Technologies’ RTX Ventures later that year. Additionally, the company landed a contract for Hypersonic risk reduction from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), allowing Hermeus to maintain its funding and momentum. This enabled the company to build and recently fly its first unmanned aircraft, which is designed to travel at extremely high speeds, according to the company.

    Hermeus Quarterhorse initial prototype UAV (Credit: Hermeus)
    Hermeus’ Quarterhorse initial prototype UAV (Credit: Hermeus)

    Initially, with an integrated GE J85 engine, Hermeus is now launching the incorporation of the Pratt & Whitney F-100 into its own “Chimera II turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) propulsion system,” all aimed at taking subsequent iterations of their prototype to hypersonic speeds.

    Quaterhorse has been developed to demonstrate high-speed take-off and landing of a large unmanned aircraft, and is the first in a series of prototypes. And a couple of months ago, on May 27 at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California, Quaterhorse did in fact take off, performed a short overhead circuit and landed! So, more flight tests are now expected to explore the drone’s flight characteristics.

    The TBCC two-phase engine with the Pratt F-100 front-end is slated to take Darkhorse, the next planned drone derivative, to Mach 2.8 on the F-100 and then up to over Mach 5 with the hypersonic back-end section of the engine. It could be said that the whole vehicle is being built around this monster engine!

    It will be interesting to see how flight testing of Quaterhorse progresses, but even more exciting to hopefully see if and when Hermeus gets the next hypersonic version flying. Additionally, we can anticipate the first flights of the USAF CCA prototypes.

    It is amazing how, from the humble beginnings of hobbyist radio-controlled recreational model aircraft, drones have evolved with sophisticated autopilots and are now becoming autonomous vehicles that are taking on front-line air force attack-support. Technological progress is now headed towards hypersonic capability.

  • Leidos uses quantum technology to thwart GPS jamming

    Leidos uses quantum technology to thwart GPS jamming

    Susceptibility to jamming is a significant military vulnerability of the GPS signal. Through a Defense Innovation Unit contract, Leidos is developing an alternative navigation technology that measures variations in the Earth’s magnetic field and harnesses the quantum properties of nitrogen in diamonds. 

    “With magnetic navigation (MagNav) there’s no signal to jam,” said Aaron Canciani, manager of the Leidos Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) team and a former U.S. Air Force scientist who is a pioneer of the technology. “The one thing MagNav does need is a very sensitive magnetometer, which is where quantum comes in.”

    Quantum sensing uses microscopic particles that can simultaneously exist in multiple states to more accurately detect aspects of geophysical properties like magnetic fields. Leidos has been doing quantum work for years, applying it to a variety of cyber security and sensing applications. 

    “Quantum magnetometers have the potential to greatly increase position and attitude accuracies in magnetic navigation systems,” Canciani said. “Nitrogen vacancy-diamond magnetometers use the crystal structure of a diamond to define a sensing axis in which quantum measurements of the complete vector field can be known to exquisite accuracies.”

    The sensor is being developed by Frequency Electronics Inc. under subcontract to Leidos and in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Lab.

    Compared to classic magnetometers, which tend to drift due to reliance on relative measurements, Canciani added, “These quantum measurements are linked to the magnetic field through fundamental physics-based constants.” 

    Ultimately, Leidos intends to fly a MagNav system with the new magnetometer. If successful, the technology has the potential to significantly advance navigation technology for military use.  

  • Russian jamming creates ‘Bermuda Triangle’ in Baltic

    Russian jamming creates ‘Bermuda Triangle’ in Baltic

    Russian jamming of GPS signals is suspected to be the cause behind a new “Bermuda Triangle” of navigation confusion in the eastern Baltic Sea.

    In the Gulf of Finland, ships are disappearing from radar and Russian fighter jets are traveling through NATO airspace, according to Danwatch, a Danish news outlet.

    Ship monitoring service MarineTraffic shows the position of ships in completely different places than their actual positions, currently on land east of coastal city Primorsk, Russia.

    Experts say that not only is GPS being disrupted, but hackers are also manipulating navigation data. They blame Russia for its hybrid activities and attacks, which it carries out both from its mainland territory and from the Kaliningrad enclave, located between Poland and Lithuania.

    Screenshot of MarineTraffic now shows boats traveling in a circle inland from the Baltic Sea.
    Screenshot of MarineTraffic taken June 4, 2025, shows ships traveling in a circle on land, well east of the Baltic Sea.

    Romania also has issues with Russian jamming and spoofing activities. The website Defense Romania quotes Gen. Gheorghiță Vlad, chief of the Romanian Defense Staff, who said jamming and spoofing has occurred on the Black Sea weekly since the start of Russia’s war with Ukraine. Also, Romanian defense forces have discovered 122 floating mines in the sea.