Why the U.S. Military Is Preparing for a Post-GPS World

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon is accelerating efforts to develop a new class of navigation technology that could operate entirely without GPS, a critical need as adversaries like Russia and China expand their ability to jam or spoof satellite signals.

The technology, often described as a “quantum compass,” uses lasers and ultra-cold atoms to detect Earth’s magnetic field with exceptional precision. Unlike traditional inertial navigation systems, which drift over time, these quantum sensors can maintain accuracy over long distances without relying on external signals.

During recent tests highlighted in the report, Australian startup Q-CTRL demonstrated a prototype that outperformed standard systems by more than tenfold on a test flight, showing reliable positioning even when GPS was denied.

The Pentagon is now funding ruggedization trials to make the technology durable enough for combat aircraft, warships, submarines, and autonomous drones.

Allies in Australia, Europe, and the U.K. are conducting parallel tests as part of a wider international push to secure future military operations against electronic warfare threats.