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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 for its alternative navigation technology. This system aims to provide positioning and routing for soldiers without relying on traditional GPS. Tern's solution integrates with a vehicle's diagnostic systems and uses edge processing to interpret vehicle data for navigation, effectively creating a "Google Maps for the battlefield." The technology is designed to operate independently of external signals, making it resilient to GPS disruptions, which are increasingly common globally, particularly in regions like the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The Army's move reflects ongoing efforts to develop more robust, non-GPS navigation capabilities for military applications, especially given recent incidents involving GPS jamming and its potential consequences. Tern's approach involves passively listening to vehicle data, processing it through proprietary methods to output location information without altering the original data flow.

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The Army's investment in Tern's sensor-fusion approach underscores a broader defense industry trend: developing resilient navigation systems less vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. This move validates the viability of alternative PNT technologies that leverage existing vehicle data, potentially opening doors for similar startups and established players to offer solutions for both military and civilian sectors facing GPS degradation. The focus on closed, proprietary systems also highlights security considerations paramount in contested environments.

This contract signals a significant market opportunity for companies specializing in edge computing and vehicle data analytics for non-traditional navigation purposes. As the military seeks to de-risk its operations from GPS dependency, expect increased funding and adoption of solutions that can operate autonomously or with minimal external reliance. Civilian applications, from autonomous vehicles to logistics, could eventually benefit from the advancements and cost reductions driven by these defense contracts.

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