Susceptibility to jamming is a significant military vulnerability of the GPS signal. Through a Defense Innovation Unit contract, Leidos is developing an alternative navigation technology that measures variations in the Earth’s magnetic field and harnesses the quantum properties of nitrogen in diamonds. 

<p>“With magnetic navigation (MagNav) there’s no signal to jam,” said Aaron Canciani, manager of the Leidos Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) team and a former U.S. Air Force scientist who is a pioneer of the technology. “The one thing MagNav does need is a very sensitive magnetometer, which is where quantum comes in.”</p>    <p>Quantum sensing uses microscopic particles that can simultaneously exist in multiple states to more accurately detect aspects of geophysical properties like magnetic fields. Leidos has been doing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.leidos.com/capabilities/cyber/quantum-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quantum work</a>&nbsp;for years, applying it to a variety of cyber security and sensing applications.&nbsp;</p>    <p>“Quantum magnetometers have the potential to greatly increase position and attitude accuracies in magnetic navigation systems,” Canciani said. “Nitrogen vacancy-diamond magnetometers use the crystal structure of a diamond to define a sensing axis in which quantum measurements of the complete vector field can be known to exquisite accuracies.”</p>    <p>The sensor is being developed by Frequency Electronics Inc. under subcontract to Leidos and in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Lab.</p>    <p>Compared to classic magnetometers, which tend to drift due to reliance on relative measurements, Canciani added, “These quantum measurements are linked to the magnetic field through fundamental physics-based constants.” </p>    <p>Ultimately, Leidos intends to fly a MagNav system with the new magnetometer. If successful, the technology has the potential to significantly advance navigation technology for military use. &nbsp;</p> <p>&lt;p&gt;The post <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gpsworld.com/leidos-uses-quantum-technology-to-thwart-gps-jamming/">Leidos uses quantum technology to thwart GPS jamming</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gpsworld.com">GPS World</a>.&lt;/p&gt;</p>

GPS World