US Army places $11M bet on Austin-based GPS alternative Tern
The U.S. Army has awarded an $11.26 million contract to Austin-based startup Tern to deploy a GPS-alternative navigation system. The technology uses vehicle diagnostic data to provide positioning in environments where GPS is jammed or unavailable.
Why it matters
As GPS jamming becomes a common tactic in modern warfare, developing resilient, non-satellite navigation is critical for military operational security.
Austin-based Tern has won a contract from the U.S. Army to deploy the startup’s low-cost GPS alternative tech.
The $11.26 million contract will see the Army use Tern’s navigation tech in vehicles, though the startup was tight-lipped on the exact scale of the deployment of what it calls “Google Maps for the battlefield.”
The Army is tapping Tern at a time when GPS disruptions are on the rise, especially in the Middle East and in the skies above Ukraine and Russia . The U.S. military itself has reportedly been experimenting with GPS jamming , which may have even contributed to the deadly crash of a medevac plane earlier this year. There have been multiple efforts from Congress and President Trump (during his first term) to develop resilient, non-GPS navigation technologies for military use.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in