NIWC Atlantic opens M-PNT laboratory
The US Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic officially opened a new Maritime Positioning, Navigation and Timing (M-PNT) facility at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia.
The lab will support the US Navy by providing research, development, test, evaluation, integration and certification works for both surface and submarine PNT systems. This includes supporting new technologies being developed and introduced into the fleet for operating in a global positioning system (GPS) or sensor in denied environment. These technologies include enhancements to inertial navigation systems and alternative positioning system technologies to GPS.
The laboratory will also facilitate research, development, test and evaluation efforts for other navy and Department of Defense customers, including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in support of maritime geospatial intelligence technical standards, and exploitation by the fleet.
Construction on the approximately $3 million laboratory began in May 2018 and is still in progress. Although the structure is complete, some minor work remains before the lab attains a fully functional status.
The facility will also support the navigation suite certification process being developed for the fleet, which tests the design, integration and interoperability of the entire PNT system of systems architecture in both surface ships and submarines. Initially, the lab will support guided missile destroyer-class and Virginia-class architectures, then grow to be reconfigurable to support all fleet PNT system of systems architectures.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
NATO innovation programme doubles in size
DIANA has been leveraging its accelerator programme and test centre network to bring end users together with start-ups, scientific researchers and technology companies for the development of dual-use technological defence and security solutions.
-
DARPA awards AI contracts
The US has been working to out how to use and defend against AI with DARPA alone outlining in 2008 ‘AI Next’ programme with US$2 billion committed to advance the science of AI.
-
Finding your space
Digital mapping and geolocation have become critical to battlespace users, and ensuring the best content is delivered is vital.
-
Why the US would struggle to overcome Russia’s nuclear anti-satellite weapon
Russia's move to develop a nuclear anti-satellite weapon has highlighted US anxieties over space combat readiness, challenging the Pentagon's strategic defences in a potential cosmic battleground.
-
China’s AI developments in electronic surveillance extends to battlefield
‘Nowhere to hide’ as Chinese progress in AI-enabled surveillance technological has enabled it to identify and suppress enemy communications systems.
-
Boeing wins $440 million contract for 12th Wideband Global SATCOM satellite
Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites have been supporting the US DoD’s warfighting information exchange requirements, enabling execution of tactical C4ISR, battlefield management and combat support information.