eLoran: The GPS Backup the Military Needs
Enhanced Long-Range Navigation (eLoran) is re-emerging as a critical resilient PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) solution for GPS-denied and contested environments.
Why This Matters Now
- GPS jamming is escalating: 1,650+ vessels hit by GPS interference in the Arabian Gulf in just 8 days (March 2026)
- UK MOD just awarded £6M contract (May 2026) to QinetiQ-led Team Elaris for deployable eLoran solutions — first western military to formally choose terrestrial GNSS backup
- US has been stalling: Congress mandated eLoran study in 2017 NDAA, $10M tech demo funded in 2018, but no operational deployment yet
- China and South Korea already have operational eLoran systems
Key Players
| Entity | Role |
|---|---|
| QinetiQ / Team Elaris | UK MOD £6M contract for deployable eLoran |
| UrsaNav | Leading US eLoran provider, installed testbed in South Korea, KSA upgrade contract |
| Sinclair Broadcast / NAB | Demonstrated Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) using eLoran |
| Resilient Navigation & Timing Foundation (RNTF) | Advocacy org pushing US eLoran adoption |
| Dana Goward | RNTF President, former Coast Guard, leading voice on GPS backup |
The Opportunity
eLoran provides:
- Independent timing source (not satellite-dependent)
- Difficult to jam (high-power terrestrial signals, 100kHz band)
- Sub-20m accuracy with differential corrections
- Complementary to GPS, not a replacement
US DoD has identified eLoran as the leading candidate for GPS backup but has not committed to operational deployment. The UK is now moving ahead. This creates opportunity for:
- Integration consulting (eLoran + existing PNT architectures)
- Policy/advocacy support
- Teaming with UrsaNav or similar providers on US programs
Source
Jamming and Interference Targeting Global - LinkedIn Post
Tags: eloran pnt gps resilient-navigation #contested-environments #UK-MOD #QinetiQ