Ground forces may soon be getting a new tool to find their way around hostile territory.

With support from the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program, Virginia-based Echo Ridge LLC is developing a process to overcome GPS-contested environments by using radio frequency signals as a source of positioning information. The solution is designed to fit in a small package that can be carried by ground operators.

GPS has revolutionized warfighting by providing a ubiquitous, all-weather, absolute positioning, navigation, and timing capability that is unrivaled. However, many Department of Defense platforms have become overly dependent on GPS, making the signal a prime target for the enemy.

Under a special type of SBIR/STTR contract – known as a Direct-to-Phase II award, offered by the Air Force Research Laboratory Center for Rapid Innovation – Echo Ridge is working with the AFRL Sensors Directorate to solve this pressing issue.