The Growing Imperative of Navigational Warfare (NAVWAR) in Modern Naval Operations

The Reliance on Satellite Navigation

Contemporary naval forces are increasingly dependent on satellite signals for critical functions such as navigation and weapon systems. As incidents of jamming and spoofing escalate in contested maritime environments, navies worldwide are urgently enhancing their defense frameworks against the emergent threats posed by navigational warfare (NAVWAR).

Maxime Gorlier, Head of Safran’s Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Business Unit, encapsulates the strategic importance of timing in maritime operations: “Mastering time leads to mastering position, and by extension, navigation.” Historical precedents reveal that maritime powers of the 16th to 18th centuries recognized these truths as they sought solutions to the ‘longitude problem.’ This challenge was ultimately solved by John Harrison, who, motivated by a lucrative reward under Britain’s Longitude Act of 1714, developed a highly accurate mechanical timepiece enabling mariners to ascertain their position based on astronomical observations.

This legacy endures today, supported by atomic clocks that sustain global time synchronization and guide naval vessels. Although timing is the final element in the PNT acronym, its foundational role permeates all aspects of naval operations—from navigation to drone coordination and weapon systems. Should timing mechanisms fail or be compromised, missions may falter. As great-power rivalry intensifies, the essence of time has once again transformed into a contested domain.

The Significance of Timing in Maritime Dominance

As articulated by David Barrie in Sextant: A Voyage Guided by the Stars and the Men Who Mapped the World’s Oceans, the complexities of celestial navigation underscore the importance of time as a navigational aid. Navigators of the past grappled with challenges of calculating position among the unpredictable movements of celestial bodies. Today, the importance of precise timing transcends merely celestial navigation—it underpins all global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) utilized by naval forces.

“The failure of timing systems can significantly disrupt other operational systems,” notes Adam Price, Spirent Communications’ Vice President of PNT Simulation. Timing ensures coordination among various onboard systems, weaponry, and entire fleets. A mere seconds drift in a ship’s chronometer could lead to catastrophic targeting failures or misalignment among allies.

This reliance on synchronized timing will only escalate as navies integrate unmanned systems (UxVs) for reconnaissance and operational strikes. Michel Monnerat, Director of Bids & Advanced Projects in Navigation at Thales Alenia Space, emphasizes the growing interdependence of satellite navigation and maritime operations.

NAVWAR: Redefining the Battlefield

The emergence of NAVWAR highlights the vulnerabilities linked to PNT infrastructure. The ability to incapacitate an adversary by disrupting their time references provides a competitive edge in contemporary conflicts. Price explains, “Denying an opponent their timing reference disrupts essential systems and confers a strategic advantage in the operational theater.”

With GNSS constellations such as GPS and Galileo operating from medium Earth orbit (MEO)—approximately 20,000 kilometers above sea level—their signals weaken significantly by the time they reach naval platforms. These signals are susceptible to a range of distortions, including environmental interferences and hostile attacks—chiefly, jamming and spoofing.

• Jamming involves overpowering weak satellite signals with stronger local signals, resulting in a complete loss of PNT functionality.
• Spoofing, by contrast, entails transmitting misleading GNSS-like signals that misguide receivers into reporting inaccurate positions and timings.

In instances such as the reported GPS disruptions in the Red Sea, the ramifications can be dire, as illustrated by the grounding of the container ship MSC Antonia due to signal jamming.

Addressing Vulnerabilities: Two Layers of Defense

Naval forces are implementing dual layers of defense aimed at redefining their operational resilience against NAVWAR threats: signal hardening and orbital redundancy.

Layer One: Fortifying the Signal

The first line of defense focuses on enhancing the robustness of timing signals against jamming and spoofing. Advanced encryption methods are central to this effort. Both the U.S. and European navies are pursuing strategies to fortify GNSS signals, with the U.S. making significant strides in GPS modernization through the M-Code initiative. This feature strengthens the signal and increases resistance to hostile interventions.

A Defense Department report revealed delays in integrating M-Code capabilities within the Navy’s testing frameworks, indicating the necessity for interim measures. In contrast, European allies are inclined towards Galileo’s Public Regulated Service (PRS), which provides an encrypted, interference-resistant option tailored for official governmental application.

Key advancements include:

• Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPAs): These dynamic antennas have the flexibility to optimize signal reception while blocking interference, often paired with advanced algorithms for maximum efficacy.

Layer Two: Redundancy in Orbit and Autonomous Solutions

In addition to hardening existing signals, both Europe and the U.S. are exploring low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations to diversify their navigational infrastructure.

The advantages of LEO constellations include:

• Stronger Signals: LEO satellites operate at altitudes between 500-1,200 kilometers, resulting in significantly more potent signals.
• Faster Deployment: The reduced cycle time enables rapid response to contemporary threats that traditional systems may not address quickly enough.

Current initiatives include the European Space Agency’s LEO-PNT demonstrator mission, set for launch by 2027, while the U.S. Space Force is leveraging commercial partnerships to create a resilient GPS ecosystem through its Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program.

Beyond satellite systems, maritime forces also seek autonomous navigation solutions. This includes leveraging dual-core hemispherical resonator gyroscopes (HRGs) to maintain precision under challenging conditions. Such systems enable vessels to transition seamlessly to inertial navigation when GNSS signals falter, ensuring operational continuity.

Future Technologies: Quantum Innovations and AI Enhancements

The horizon of naval PNT is being shaped by quantum technologies, which promise breakthroughs in precision navigation. Although these innovations are not expected to reach maturity for several years, hybrid approaches leveraging quantum techniques alongside established systems are gaining traction.

Xairos is at the forefront, developing systems that utilize entangled photons for secure and accurate timing synchronization across various platforms. Their focus on miniaturization points toward the potential for portable, rugged systems capable of delivering reliable time navigation under any circumstances.

Artificial intelligence is also poised to play a pivotal role, potentially streamlining threat detection and mitigating timing disruptions.

In essence, while civilian navigation has evolved into a straightforward positional exercise, naval operations rely on the intricate interplay of time and location. As John Harrison revolutionized maritime navigation centuries ago, today’s naval strategists face the imperative of safeguarding timing against the challenges of NAVWAR—a battlefield where mastery of time could determine victory.