The US Army has begun deploying the Mounted Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing System (MAPS) GEN II, an updated navigation equipment designed to enhance troops’ navigation and communication capabilities in high-stress combat environments where GPS is blocked or manipulated.
The new system builds on its predecessor, MAPS GEN I, and has been developed to be more secure, especially against complex electronic warfare threats, where adversaries attempt to sabotage GPS location technology through spoofing. MAPS Gen II started to be fielded in March, following approval for full capacity production.
Advanced Protection Against Spoofing Threat
Explaining the importance of the new system, Jennifer Thermos, interim product manager at Mounted PNT, highlighted the difference between spoofing (signal jamming) and spoofing (sending a cinema signal), which is more dangerous: “Spoofing causes disruption, but spoofing can be much more harmful. If you don’t have a system like MAPS GEN II that can recognise and reject the spoofing attempt, you could be following a fake GPS signal that could take you where the enemy wants you to go.”
According to the press release, MAPS GEN II protects against such traps with tighter encryption, sensor fusion algorithms and additional security enhancements. It also has a warning system that alerts soldiers to threats of electronic interference.
First reactions from the field
Among the units trained to use the new system are the 2nd Infantry Division, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 7th Infantry Division.
2.Captain Tianna Johnson of the Stryker Brigade Combat Team confirmed the capabilities of the new system, noting the problem of GPS jamming during training: “In one case, MAPS showed a detected threat, which is exactly what MAPS GEN II was designed for, and we were able to take the necessary actions.”
MAPS Gen II is also designed to be compatible with the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (C2) infrastructure being developed by Anduril and other key manufacturers. This integration is part of the Pentagon’s priority to rapidly integrate new technologies into the services.
