Alternative or Redundant Global Positioning System Navigation

The Global Positioning System (GPS) and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have created a single point of failure for many military applications requiring precise time and position. The Long Range Navigation (LORAN) system was a proven navigation aid until it was abandoned because of the success of GPS. Now it is clear that a backup to GPS is required and the enhanced-LORAN (eLORAN) system is being proposed for that role. However, eLORAN cannot achieve the precision that GPS provides. Alternative navigation sensors include vision-based and celestial, yet neither can provide an all-weather solution like GPS. While there have been improvements in the performance of inertial measurement units (IMUs) based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology, they still do not achieve the type of stability required of navigation-grade instruments necessary for aviation. Other RF-based solutions include signals-of-opportunity (SoOp) and pseudolites, as well as collaborative navigation using existing communication networks. During this Phase I program Toyon will investigate the state-of-the-art in navigation technology and identify the most promising approach to meet the needs of missions conducted by Special Operations Forces (SOF). At the conclusion of this effort, a prototype system design will be completed in preparation for a Phase II demonstration.