DARPA develops ultra-precise clocks to safeguard military navigation without GPS
DARPA is testing next-generation atomic clocks that could keep timing accuracy for weeks, offering a backup for U.S. forces when GPS is jammed or spoofed.
DARPA’s new ultra-precise clock initiative seeks to create a timing source that remains reliable when GPS signals are denied or falsified. By broadcasting exact timestamps, GPS enables positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, but its weak signals are vulnerable to jamming, spoofing and solar interference. The ROCkN program’s prototypes have been field-tested on military aircraft, naval vessels and land vehicles, sustaining GPS-grade timing for more than two weeks—far longer than any existing backup.
The next phase, dubbed "It's About Time," focuses on overcoming current constraints of size, weight, power consumption and cost to enable large-scale production and integration. If successful, the clocks could not only secure military operations but also enhance civilian systems such as banking, the internet and power grids with timing up to 100,000 times more precise than GPS.
Why it matters
A resilient timing system would protect critical military and civilian infrastructure from GPS disruptions.
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