High-frequency C-band signals cut through severe GPS jamming on standard hardware

TrustPoint has shown that its C-band navigation signals can keep working through satellite navigation interference on an established commercial receiver platform. The test, conducted under a U.S. Navy research contract, paired TrustPoint’s signals with an enhanced receiver from NovAtel, a Hexagon business. The result could help speed the development of navigation systems designed to operate when GPS becomes unreliable. GPS remains central to military operations, aviation and autonomous systems. Yet electronic warfare can jam or degrade those signals, leaving vehicles and equipment without reliable positioning data. TrustPoint is developing an alternative approach using signals in the C-band spectrum. Its latest demonstration tested whether those signals could work on receiver technology already familiar to commercial and defense users. Testing navigation under interference During the demonstration, the receiver acquired and tracked TrustPoint’s C-band signals despite GNSS interference. It also used those signals to produce precise positioning information. The work took place under a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division led the effort for Naval Air Systems Command. That matters because resilient navigation systems often require specialized hardware. TrustPoint and NovAtel instead tested C-band capability on an established receiver platform. Patrick Shannon, TrustPoint’s founder and CEO, called the result an important benchmark for resilient positioning. “For the first time, C-band signals have operated through interference on a receiver the industry already trusts,” Shannon said. The test does not replace GPS. Instead, it points toward receivers that could use another source of positioning when conventional satellite navigation faces disruption. That capability could prove valuable for military aircraft, autonomous platforms and other systems operating in contested electromagnetic environments. Different navigation signal Most satellite navigation systems rely on L-band frequencies. TrustPoint’s approach uses C-band signals instead. C-band’s higher frequency gives engineers another option for delivering positioning and timing services. TrustPoint wants those signals to complement existing satellite navigation rather than force users to abandon GNSS equipment. NovAtel’s involvement could also shorten the route toward practical deployment. Its receivers already serve demanding aerospace, defense and industrial applications. Sandy Kennedy, vice president of research and development for Hexagon’s Aerospace & Defence division, said the work shows how established receiver technology can adapt to emerging navigation signals. The collaboration also pushes receiver development beyond traditional L-band services. For the Pentagon, the broader challenge is clear. GPS remains a critical capability, but adversaries increasingly field systems designed to interfere with satellite navigation. A resilient backup could give operators another source of positioning when GPS signals become degraded or unavailable. Testing navigation under interference The interference test follows earlier C-band milestones from TrustPoint. In 2025, the company demonstrated live-sky transmission and real-time reception of its C-band GNSS signal with Hexagon. TrustPoint has also carried out a ground-to-space PNT demonstration. Three commercial free-flying satellites have already supported the company’s technology development. The new test brings that work closer to a practical receiver architecture. TrustPoint now faces the harder task of turning technical demonstrations into commercially available hardware and services. Still, proving that C-band signals can survive interference on a recognized receiver platform offers an important data point. For U.S. defense users, the appeal is straightforward. Navigation systems need options when GPS cannot deliver. TrustPoint’s latest demonstration suggests C-band could become one of them. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Aamir is a seasoned tech journalist with experience at Exhibit Magazine, Republic World, and PR Newswire. With a deep love for all things tech and science, he has spent years decoding the latest innovations and exploring how they shape industries, lifestyles, and the future of humanity.