Alternative Navigation Tech Successfully Tested

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GPS signals are used for navigation in commercial and military applications alike, but seamless connection to these signals is not always guaranteed. Even modern systems can have problems in “GPS-denied” environments like dense urban areas near tall buildings or under bridges. Furthermore, GPS-jamming, whether intentional or not, can prevent these vital signals from conveying critical information regarding positioning, navigation and timing. In these instances, it is also important for vehicles and aircraft to be equipped with alternative navigation technologies. 

Honeywell has been developing multiple alternative navigation technologies to add resilience to GPS and enable continuous, safer and more reliable navigation in the event GPS signals become unavailable. M-code, the new standard GPS signal used by militaries around the world is one such technology. The M-code is transmitted in the same L1 and L2 frequencies already in use by the previous military code, the P(Y) code. It is designed to enhance the resilience of the military’s GPS capability and is used in Honeywell’s Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation System (EGI). 

Recently, the company has successfully flight-tested new technologies designed to enable alternative navigation offerings, including its EGI supporting M-code. These tests, which involved equipping a test aircraft with alternative navigation technologies, demonstrate a major milestone in providing continued navigation solutions in GPS-denied environments. This was also the first time an airborne M-code receiver was flown on an aircraft in an EGI, demonstrating the effectiveness of M-code in a live, airborne environment.

Third-generation M-code is the latest advancement in military GPS technology designed to enable operations in challenging environments with a more robust and resilient navigation solution.