Latest news with #GPS-denied
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US-Israeli industry team pitches ‘Bullseye' long-range missile
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — General Atomics and Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are teaming up to produce a long-range precision-guided missile for the U.S. market, the companies announced this week. The weapon, dubbed Bullseye, will be launchable from the sea, land and air, with the developers promising 'significant attack performance against high-value targets at an affordable price point.' 'We're getting lessons learned on cost reduction, and we'll build at least half the missile in the United States,' Scott Forney, President of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, was quoted as saying by Naval News. Development of the weapon was announced at the Sea-Air-Space 2025 conference in Maryland. The Bullseye missile appears to be derived from Rafael's Ice Breaker system, which has a 300-kilometer (186 miles) range. Unlike Ice Breaker, however, the new missile will be able to carry various warheads and propulsion systems, General Atomics said on the new product's web page. The weapon's makers also highlighted the 'very low observable' stealth characteristics, autonomous target recognition, and resilience in GPS-denied environments. Autonomous target recognition has been an area of concern for defense researchers but no comprehensive international rules yet exist on the level of human involvement that a weapons system must have. General Atomics bills the Bullseye as 'fully autonomous with man-in-the-loop decision back-up capability' on the company's spec sheet. The missile will also be equipped with 'advanced mission planning' and 'synchronized attack capability.' The new missile has reportedly reached Technology Readiness Level 8, with Rafael having already completed aerodynamics, engine, seeker and launch integration testing. The missile is compatible with jet fighters, light attack aircraft, helicopters, small maritime vessels and ground vehicles, the arms manufacturer said. Initial deliveries are slated for late 2025, General Atomics said. The partnership seeks to leverage Rafael's combat-proven missile technology—including systems like Iron Dome and Spike missiles—with GA-EMS's U.S.-based manufacturing expertise in Tupelo, Mississippi. It also highlights the continuing close ties between the two countries' defense establishments at a time when other traditional U.S. partners have been estranged.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
US Army approves production of vehicle-mounted GPS alternative
The U.S. Army approved the full-rate production of a Collins Aerospace-developed vehicle-mounted positioning, navigation and timing, or PNT, system vital to operating in GPS-denied environments, the service announced Tuesday. The Mounted Assured, Positioning, Navigation and Timing System, or MAPS, is a key element of the service's modernization push. The Army established a cross-functional team through Army Futures Command in 2017 to advance capabilities, both mounted and dismounted, that would help the Army operate in environments where the enemy might jam its space-based GPS systems used for navigation. As those efforts progressed in development, they were transferred to the Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors to be managed as programs of record. 'This monumental achievement is the culmination of over six years of hard work and dedication by [Program Manager] PNT and Mounted PNT,' Lt. Col. Damian Dixon, the Army's Mounted PNT product manager, said in the statement. The MAPS Generation II capability 'provides GPS anti-spoofing and anti-jamming capability through sensor fusion algorithms and non-radio frequency sensors to distribute positioning, navigation, and timing data so mounted soldiers can operate in environments where military GPS is denied or degraded,' the statement notes. In addition to enabling forces to communicate, move and shoot, the system distributes PNT data 'to multiple clients on a single platform, eliminating redundant GPS receivers and antennas,' according to the statement. The MAPS GEN II system consists of an internally mounted navigation hub where data coming from sensors and receivers are fused together and an anti-jam antenna system mounted to the outside of the vehicle. To date, the Army has spent roughly $500 million in procurement funding for the mounted PNT program as it previously fielded a first-generation capability to rapidly deliver an initial capability to the battlefield, according to fiscal 2025 service budget documents. The Army plans to procure 619 MAPS GEN II systems for a total of $130 million in fiscal 2025, according to budget documents. This includes spares, follow-on test and evaluation, logistics support and engineering changes for Armored, Stryker and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, the documents show.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
US Navy's hypersonic vehicles to get GPS-free navigation boost from Anello Photonics
Anello Photonics, a leading firm in silicon photonics technology, has been awarded a contract by the US Navy to develop a cutting-edge navigation system to help hypersonic vehicles operate even in GPS-denied environments. 'Anello was selected for a Small Business Innovation Research Phase I due to its innovative optical gyroscope technology and its unique sensor fusion engine,' the company informed. The company's Silicon Photonics Optical Gyroscope (SiPhOG) technology and sensor fusion engine aim to bring significant advances in navigation. 'This will ensure that the US Navy platforms can maintain high-accuracy navigation in challenging GPS-denied situations,' said the company. SiPhOG is a compact, ultra-lightweight, and high-performance optical gyroscope. It promises to deliver accurate guidance even when the Global Positioning System (GPS) signals are unavailable or compromised. Traditional navigation systems often rely heavily on GPS. However, in contested environments where hypersonic vehicles operate, GPS signals can be easily disrupted or denied by adversaries. Anello's SiPhOG technology offers a unique approach to navigation in GPS-denied environments. In typical operations, a loss of GPS signal often triggers a failsafe mode in the autopilot system. This can lead to undesirable outcomes such as hovering in place, an emergency landing, or even a crash. However, with Anello's SiPhOG technology, specifically demonstrated in their recently launched Anello X3, the system can seamlessly detect GPS signal disruption. Instead of resorting to a failsafe mode, the SiPhOG gyroscope provides continuous and accurate navigation data, allowing the vehicle to maintain controlled flight even in the presence of GPS jamming. The technology employs the principles of interferometry to precisely measure a vehicle's rotation and orientation. Within the SiPhOG, laser light travels through a microscopic waveguide etched onto a silicon chip. This chip also contains integrated optical components that manipulate the light, creating interference patterns. By analyzing these patterns, the SiPhOG can determine the vehicle's precise movements with exceptional accuracy. Under the latest contract, the company will focus on demonstrating the capabilities of SiPhOG and the sensor fusion engine over a six-month period. If successful, the project will progress to Phase II, which will involve developing a prototype navigation system and rigorous testing in simulated hypersonic flight conditions. Phase III aims to integrate the prototype onto a representative hypersonic vehicle for demonstration and assessment during Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) events. Amid the increasing geopolitical tensions and the use of new war technologies, the requirement for GPS-free hypersonic vehicles has intensified. This latest award by the US Navy reflects the same broader trend. 'Within this program, the U.S. Navy can directly evaluate and experience first-hand the benefits of the Anello products for navigation in GPS-denied or contested environments,' concluded Dr. Mario Paniccia, CEO of Anello Photonics. Notably, several studies have been conducted in this regard. Recently, the Sandia National Laboratories of the US developed 'the mother of all motion sensors', which aims to enable GPS-free navigation for air defense vehicles. Besides, Sydney-based Advanced Navigation has partnered with MBDA to develop a system that will allow drones to soar high in the sky and navigate without GPS.
