GPS World

Tag: Military GPS

  • BAE Systems broadens compatibility of anti-jam GPS receiver

    BAE Systems broadens compatibility of anti-jam GPS receiver

    Image: BAE Systems
    Image: BAE Systems

    BAE Systems has expanded the capabilities of its Digital GPS Anti-Jam Receiver (DIGAR) by enabling beamforming with Trimble receivers, in addition to its own receivers.

    DIGAR’s beamforming capabilities increase the level of GPS jamming protection for aircraft by a million-fold, helping pilots execute their missions in contested environments.

    BAE Systems’ engineers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, developed software to ensure the compatibility of its antenna electronics with industry-standard embedded GPS inertial navigation system (GPS/INS) technology, enabling fast communication with transmitter electronics for superior beamforming.

    BAE Systems is exhibiting at the ION Joint Navigation Conference, which takes place June 6-9 in San Diego.

    DIGAR beamforms with both BAE Systems receivers and Trimble GPS receivers embedded in aircraft GPS/INS, as well as federated GPS systems and stand-alone GPS receivers.

    “The modern battlespace has evolved, and peer state positioning, navigation, and timing threat systems are challenging our ability to conduct combat operations in the place and manner of our choosing,” said Greg Wild, director of Navigation and Sensor Systems at BAE Systems. “By combining DIGAR’s beamforming with trusted inertial navigation system data, we offer the highest level of jamming protection available today.”

    DIGAR is a high-performance military GPS-based system for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned airborne platforms. It combines field-proven antenna electronics, advanced signal-processing, and beamforming techniques to improve the reliability of positioning, navigation and timing data in the presence of disruptive electromagnetic signals.

    DIGAR is also compatible with the advanced M-code – delivering additional security to the warfighters who rely on it.

    BAE Systems’ anti-jamming GPS technology has defeated powerful and sophisticated adversary threat systems in testing and combat, and is available for airborne, shipborne and ground vehicle applications. The company’s military GPS business is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where it is building a 278,000-square-foot state-of-the-art research and manufacturing facility scheduled to open this year.

  • New APNT in an old box

    New APNT in an old box

    Leonardo DRS’ A-PNT Converged Computer – Embedded & Scalable (AC²ES) adds capabilities to its widely used DDUx. Photo: Leonardo DRS
    Leonardo DRS’ A-PNT Converged Computer – Embedded & Scalable (AC²ES) adds capabilities to its widely used DDUx. Photo: Leonardo DRS

    To help counter attacks that degrade GNSS capability on combat vehicles, Leonardo DRS developed a modified data-distribution unit computer, the DDUx II, with an embedded assured positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) capability the company calls Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing Converged Computer Embedded & Scalable (AC²ES). It augments standard military GPS PNT sources with technologies such as anti-jam, anti-spoof, M-code receivers, additional RF sources, vehicle infrared (IR) sensor vision navigation, wheel rotation and inertial measurement units (IMUs). It also offers a choice of multiple timing holdup modules that increase accuracy proportionately with cost.

    The DDUx II and military variants, fielded by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, allow for integration of APNT functionality with the Battle Management System (BMS). It can provide APNT distribution to all other devices needing PNT within the vehicle without adding to its size, weight and power (SWAP).

    Following a five-year development program, Leonardo DRS launched the AC²ES in September 2021 as a commercial option while continuing discussions with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, which have not yet adopted it. “We have tested it,” said Mike Stucki, business development manager for the company’s land electronics division. “We have gone to Army jamming and testing events. We have performance and results. However, it has not been officially tested under the Army or Marines programs, with which we are moving forward this year.”

    Leonardo DRS wants to offer the armed services the additional components they need to achieve APNT “and not require them to buy anything they don’t need or want,” Stucki said. Those additional components include multiple GNSS receivers for timing and a low-end internal IMU to provide continuous navigation in case GNSS is disrupted. All these components fit directly into the existing DRS hardware. Under the Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFoCS) program alone, the Army has fielded more than 100,000 DDUx units. Some vehicles already have high-end INS, wheel encoders, and other sensors, and MFoCS can ingest their data.

    Navigating with Infrared

    For vision navigation, Leonardo DRS uses software developed by its partner Leidos that ingests data from existing hardware on the vehicles, many of which already have IR cameras. In a GNSS-denied environment, this enables the system to navigate by matching what the IR camera sees to an imagery database. Leidos’ software is based on work it began in 2011 with the DARPA All-Source Positioning and Navigation (ASPN) program.

    “Leidos developed algorithms that use these other sensor inputs in the sensor-fusion engine to provide more accurate absolute positioning in a completely RF-denied environment,” said Kevin Betts, PNT director for Leidos. “We take the live images from the vehicle’s existing IR camera and match them to a satellite-derived model of the environment. When the images match, we have an absolute position update that we can provide to the navigation filter.”

    MFoCS “is the heart that runs the Blue Force tracker system that the soldiers use,” said Bart Blanchard, director of advanced programs at Leonardo DRS. “We’ve added the APNT components inside that box. They’re leveraging the hardware that they already own. It’s a very cost-effective solution.”

  • BAE Systems acquires Collins Aerospace military GPS business

    BAE Systems acquires Collins Aerospace military GPS business

    Logo: BAE SystemsBAE Systems has completed the $1.9 billion acquisition of Collins Aerospace‘s military GPS business from Raytheon Technologies Corp. BAE also purchased Raytheon’s airborne tactical radio business for $275 million.

    In January, BAE Systems announced its intent to buy the Collins Aerospace Military GPS division. In April, Raytheon finalized its merger with United Technologies Corp. (UTC) to officially form Raytheon Technologies Corp. The U.S. Department of Justice approved the Raytheon/UTC merger in March, but only on the condition the companies divest UTC’s military GPS and large space-based optical systems businesses, as well as Raytheon’s military airborne radios business.

    Collins Aerospace’s military GPS business will be integrated into BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems sector.

    “This partnership will enable us to build on our market leadership and bring new discriminating capabilities to our customers, including the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies,” said Greg Wild, director of Military GPS. “We’re excited to be joining the BAE Systems family. They appreciate our legacy of innovation and will provide opportunities for continued business growth and success.”

    Based in Cedar Rapids and Coralville, Iowa, the military GPS business has a workforce of approximately 700 employees. The business designs and produces advanced, hardened and secure GPS products with a range of form factors, including products designed for space-constrained and harsh environments.