The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has formally stood up a Joint Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Directorate, a 17-member unit that has reached initial operating capability and is tasked with ensuring forces can operate effectively when GPS is degraded or denied.
For decades, GPS has been the backbone of precision targeting, navigation, and force synchronisation. But as threats from jamming, spoofing, and anti-satellite weapons grow, Defence leaders are moving to reduce reliance on GPS alone.
Director Joint Positioning, Navigation and Timing, Group Captain Tim Ireland, said PNT is central to how Australia’s forces will fight in the future.
“Whether it’s ensuring the accuracy of precision munitions or synchronising distributed command and control, our war fighters must have confidence in their PNT data – even when GPS is compromised,” Group Captain Ireland said.
The directorate, established in April 2024, leads the development of resilient PNT capabilities across Defence. Its remit spans stakeholder engagement, training, test and evaluation, and capability development.
The team – comprised of full-time and reserve ADF members along with Australian Public Service staff – recently deployed to Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, where they conducted live GPS-denial activities at RAAF Base Tindal and the Delamere Air Weapons Range in the Northern Territory.
Group Captain Ireland explained the value of such exercises.
“We regularly conduct GPS jamming activities to assess how systems behave under denied conditions,” he said. “This testing helps operators and capability managers understand where their systems are vulnerable, and how to mitigate those risks through tactics, training and technology.”
Beyond training and live testing, the directorate is also advancing PNT standards and governance across Defence. It will support capability managers to integrate resilience into future platforms and acquisitions.
As Defence noted, the goal is clear: to “operate, survive and prevail in the information age” by embedding PNT assurance across the integrated force.
