The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that four technologies are being prioritised to provide alternatives to satellite-based navigation, in a written parliamentary answer published on 16 September.
Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty asked the Defence Secretary what Alternative Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technologies were under investigation by the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Space Delivery Team.
Responding, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said: “To ensure that Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capabilities are resilient when satellite systems are unavailable or have been compromised, the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) DE&S Space Delivery Team is focused on developing four initial key technology innovations, these include: developing Enhanced Long-Range Navigation (eLoran) capabilities, exploring and utilising Satellite Signals of Opportunity (SATSOO), investigating Chip Scale Atomic Clocks (CSAC) and exploring the applications of Data Fusion.”
He added that additional technologies may be identified for investment later in the programme, but that options remain unscoped at present. Pollard also noted: “Due to the risk of compromising operational security, it would be inappropriate for us to provide any further details on the specific investigations that the Department is undertaking.”
The MOD has highlighted resilience in PNT as a priority given the growing risk of satellite disruption in contested operational environments.
