Global PCB Connections: Rigid-flex and Flexible PCBs—The Backbone of Modern Electronics
Flexible Thinking: The Key to a Successful Flex Circuit Design Transfer
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Leidos Using Quantum Technology to Thwart GPS Jamming
June 5, 2025 | PRNewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Susceptibility to jamming is a significant military vulnerability of the Global Positioning System (GPS) signal. Through a Defense Innovation Unit contract, Leidos is developing an alternative navigation technology that measures variations in the Earth's magnetic field and harnesses the quantum properties of nitrogen in diamonds.
"With magnetic navigation (MagNav) there's no signal to jam," said Aaron Canciani, manager of the Leidos Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) team and a former Air Force scientist who is a pioneer of the technology. "The one thing MagNav does need is a very sensitive magnetometer, which is where quantum comes in."
Quantum sensing uses microscopic particles that can simultaneously exist in multiple states to more accurately detect aspects of geophysical properties like magnetic fields. Leidos has been doing quantum work for years, applying it to a variety of cyber security and sensing applications.
"Quantum magnetometers have the potential to greatly increase position and attitude accuracies in magnetic navigation systems," Canciani said. "Nitrogen vacancy-diamond magnetometers use the crystal structure of a diamond to define a sensing axis in which quantum measurements of the complete vector field can be known to exquisite accuracies."
The sensor is being developed by Frequency Electronics, Inc. under subcontract to Leidos and in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Lab.
Compared to classic magnetometers, which tend to drift due to reliance on relative measurements, Canciani adds, "These quantum measurements are linked to the magnetic field through fundamental physics-based constants."
Ultimately, Leidos intends to fly a MagNav system with the new magnetometer. If successful, the technology has the potential to significantly advance navigation technology for military use.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
PsiQuantum Raises $1 Billion to Build Million-Qubit Scale, Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers
09/10/2025 | BUSINESS WIREPsiQuantum announced it has raised $1 billion in funding for its Series E round to build the world’s first commercially useful, fault-tolerant quantum computers.
DARPA, State of New Mexico Establish Framework to Advance Quantum Computing
09/08/2025 | DARPAAs part of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), DARPA signed an agreement with the State of New Mexico’s Economic Development Department to create the Quantum Frontier Project.
IonQ Breakthrough in Synthetic Diamond Materials Accelerates Quantum Networking Scale and Production
09/08/2025 | IonQIonQ, the leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, announced a significant breakthrough in creating essential hardware for building large-scale quantum networks and clustered compute.
IBM, AMD Join Forces to Build the Future of Computing
09/02/2025 | AMDIBM and AMD announced plans to develop next-generation computing architectures based on the combination of quantum computers and high-performance computing, known as quantum-centric supercomputing.
Planette Selected by NASA to Develop the First Quantum-Inspired AI System for Extreme Weather Prediction
08/26/2025 | BUSINESS WIREExtreme weather is on the rise, but even state-of-the-art forecasting technologies struggle to provide accurate, timely predictions for extremes like heavy rainfall, heatwaves, and thunderstorms.