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Sydney-based navigation and autonomous systems developer Advanced Navigation is extending its reach into global markets with plans for a network of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Centres of Excellence in the US and Europe to meet surging demand for GPS-denied navigation technologies.
The first of these centres planned for the UK is described as a strategic cornerstone in the company’s global production network that will be purpose-built to scale the manufacturing, engineering, support and servicing of its world-leading inertial navigation systems for environments where global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are unavailable or unreliable.
“This major expansion is a direct response to the growing demand for GNSS-denied navigation technology, driven by escalating electronic warfare threats, GNSS jamming and spoofing, and the critical need for resilient autonomy on the battlefield,” says Grace Hynd, chief operating officer of Advanced Navigation.
“The UK PNT Centre of Excellence is the blueprint for our international expansion and the first of our planned onshore facilities across Europe and the United States.
“Each centre will allow us to collaborate directly with regional defence and technology leaders, building sovereign capability from within our allied nations.
“This is essential to deliver the resilient navigation systems demanded by the current security climate.”
Today’s announcement followed Advanced Navigation’s launch earlier this month of an expansion of its Boreas range with the new 50 series the company’s most compact fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) inertial navigation system.
The Boreas 50 series is a north-seeking FOG inertial navigation system that delivers “resilient, reliable navigation in modern battlefields, and integrates electronic protection for high-threat scenarios”.
Advanced Navigation says it is currently scoping out potential sites for its UK Centre of Excellence, looking for an area with access to a deep pool of technical talent and superior logistics, as well as proximity to a major international airport.
The company expects to confirm the UK centre’s location by the end of this year and other planned centres globally in early 2026.
"With close proximity to major defence and aerospace powerhouses, as well as access to skilled specialists in optics and precision manufacturing, the UK is the perfect launchpad to meet the unprecedented need for our technology, while ensuring compliance with local security standards," says Hynd.
Over the past year, Advanced Navigation has scaled rapidly, doubling its workforce and significantly increased manufacturing capacity to meet the surging demand from the defence sector.
The company says that in an era of increasing complexity and contested environments, the ability to navigate with absolute certainty is becoming one of the world's most critical strategic assets.
By establishing international PNT Centres of Excellence, the company says it is entering the next phase of its growth strategy, setting the stage to double its team in the next 12 months.
Advanced Navigation sees its strategic expansion into Europe as directly addressing the evolving operational needs of NATO forces.
By embedding itself within the industrial and innovation landscapes of Europe and the US, Advanced Navigation says it is also bolstering the resilience of critical infrastructure while creating new opportunities for collaboration, jobs and technological advancement.
“Beyond scaling production, the centres will focus on enabling seamless interoperability across NATO’s diverse land, sea and air platforms, significantly reducing integration time and cost for member nations,” says the company.
“With the UK Centre of Excellence as the first of many, the company is set to power the next era of autonomous systems and APNT (assured positioning, navigation and timing) worldwide.”
Over the past year, Advanced Navigation has secured a major contract with military vehicle developer Rheinmetall Defence Australia to supply its fibre-optic gyroscope inertial navigation systems for the company’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles.
Earlier this year, it also teamed up with Gilmour Space Technologies to develop a space-graded high-shock inertial navigation system that can withstand the extreme conditions of a rocket launch.
In July, Advanced Navigation responded to a Hyperlocal Navigation Challenge administered by the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, aimed at assisting commuters with vision impairments to navigate public transport interchanges.
A successful demonstration of its technology at Castle Hill Station in Sydney took place in conjunction with Transport for NSW, Sydney Metro and University of Technology Sydney.
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