Quantum navigation set to replace GPS as Q-CTRL, US Department of War, and Saab achieve separate successful trials within weeks

Date:
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Description:
Three separate trials in America, Australia, and Britain show quantum systems can support navigation and timing when GPS signals become unreliable.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter MagNav uses Earths magnetic field to guide aircraft without GPS signals Q-CTRL uses quantum gravimetry to navigate ships without satellite signals Saab uses quantum timing to keep radar networks synchronized without GPS Global positioning systems (GPS) have long served as the invisible backbone guiding ships, aircraft, and military operations across the planet.

That reliance now faces a genuine challenge, as adversaries increasingly jam or spoof satellite signals to disrupt navigation entirely. Three
organizations on three continents have each tested working alternatives
within the span of a few short weeks. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: A wave of independent breakthroughs The combined progress of
these teams suggests the technology is edging out of laboratories and into active field conditions.

The US Defense Innovation Unit, a Pentagon organization tasked with fielding emerging commercial technology for military use, confirmed a successful
flight test of its magnetic navigation program, known as MagNav. You may like Japan launches sovereign satellite navigation network as GPS cannot reach all of its country This $2 low-tech upgrade just made Russia's cheap 'cardboard-and-plywood' drone almost unjammable Quantum's greatest breakthrough may be trust

The route carried an Embraer 170 aircraft over the Pacific Ocean, running
from Seattle's Puget Sound toward southern Alaska and back again.

After four hours and 23 minutes without satellite guidance, the system improved location accuracy by 89% compared to older backup navigation
methods. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

"This is a significant win for the department's quantum sensing priorities, showcasing that MagNav capabilities are no longer a distant research goal," said Kyle Norman, deputy director of DIU's Kill Web portfolio.

Separately, Q-CTRL , an Australian quantum computing firm, announced a maritime field trial in the Coral Sea; its quantum gravimeter kept location errors within one nautical mile across the entire mission.

That figure reportedly beat conventional satellite backup systems by more
than ten times during the same test window. What to read next Why business leaders need to take quantum seriously Researchers report on a solar storm that caused a serious GPS glitch The quantum countdown: Are organizations ready to avoid the next Y2K

"Q-CTRL's demonstration shows a credible path to accurate navigation without reliance on external satellite signals," said Steve Sklenka, a retired Lieutenant General with the U.S. Marine Corps.

The companys founder Michael Biercuk added that the technology is ready now, calling it proof that quantum tools can already support active defense missions. Radar networks join the shift Saab UK also reported a milestone, working alongside Aquark Technologies and Britain's Royal Navy to test radar timing without satellite input.

Multiple Giraffe 1X radar units operating from separate locations kept a single, coherent air picture using independent quantum timing sources.

Engineers introduced deliberate timing errors to mimic jamming conditions, then confirmed the network recovered once synchronization returned.

"This trial is a great example of how collaboration can accelerate innovation," said Andy Fraser, Group Managing Director at Saab UK.

Jason Ralph, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Liverpool, noted that gravity sensing remains the only passive alternative technology that works globally and resists jamming or spoofing attempts entirely.

The trials arrive amid rising concern over deliberate satellite interference, with roughly 978,000 jamming events recorded worldwide during the first quarter of 2026 alone, most concentrated in the Middle East.

Taken together, these three trials suggest quantum navigation is edging
closer to practical deployment rather than remaining a theoretical concept.

Whether it can fully replace GPS, rather than simply back it up during outages, still depends on further testing and cost considerations. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/quantum-navigation-set-to-replace-gps-as-q-ctrl- us-department-of-war-and-saab-achieve-separate-successful-trials-within-weeks


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