Quantum Navigation at Sea Accelerates as Royal Navy Links Atomic Clocks to GPS-Denied Radar
Maritime quantum technology has moved another step out of laboratory testing and into working naval systems after the Royal Navy disclosed a new trial combining Aquark Technologies’ AQlock cold-atom clocks with Saab Giraffe 1X radars. Two British-built quantum clocks supplied independent timing to radar sites while the team deliberately introduced timing errors to simulate GNSS jamming and spoofing, with Royal Navy experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett and Dstl supporting the network as rebroadcast nodes. The August 2026 demonstration builds on a three-day sea trial aboard HMS Pursuer in 2025, when AQlock operated continuously in open-water conditions. During the same period, the Royal Navy has tested an optical atomic clock aboard uncrewed submarine XV Excalibur, quantum inertial navigation in the Arctic aboard MV Anvil Point and quantum magnetometers on a hydrographic craft. Separate British and Australian projects have also put cold-atom accelerometers and quantum gravimeters aboard working vessels, creating a rapidly expanding set of maritime trials covering timing, inertial navigation, magnetic navigation and gravity-based positioning.
Operator Impact Snapshot
Recent sea trials are testing several different quantum technologies against the same underlying problem: maintaining trusted timing and navigation when satellite signals are unavailable, degraded or deliberately manipulated.
Two AQlock systems supplied independent timing to separated Giraffe 1X radars during controlled GNSS denial and spoofing tests.
Cold-atom and optical clocks have now operated aboard HMS Pursuer and the XV Excalibur uncrewed submarine.
Multiple sensor classes have reached working vessels, although most remain experimental rather than deployed fleet equipment.
Optical clocks and other quantum sensors are being tested specifically for platforms that cannot continuously access satellite navigation.
Public deployments remain concentrated in defence, research and specialist vessels rather than broad merchant-fleet installation.
Seven Programs Moving Quantum Hardware Onto Vessels
The trials are beginning to divide the maritime quantum market into separate timing, motion-sensing and map-aided navigation layers.
| Development | Platform | Quantum Layer | Field Result | Maturity Signal | Equipment / Supplier Market | Next Technical Gate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
August 2026 AQlock + Giraffe 1X |
Distributed Saab radar network with XV Patrick Blackett and Dstl supporting network rebroadcast. |
QUANTUM TIMING Two independent cold-atom clocks. |
Separated radars maintained a coherent tracking picture using independent quantum timing while GNSS denial and spoofing scenarios were introduced. | Quantum hardware moved beyond standalone testing and into a multi-sensor operational network. | Rugged atomic clocks, timing distribution, network synchronisation, radar integration and PNT monitoring software. | Longer deployments, more sensors and integration into deployed shipboard combat and surveillance networks. |
|
December 2025 Imperial Q-INS |
MV Anvil Point during an Arctic maritime deployment. |
QUANTUM INERTIAL Cold-atom acceleration and rotation sensing. |
Revised quantum inertial navigation hardware was exposed to real ship motion and Arctic operating conditions. | Development has progressed from early ship trials toward ruggedised GNSS-independent INS prototypes. | Quantum accelerometers, gyroscopes, shock isolation, sensor fusion, optical systems and navigation processors. | Reduce sensitivity to shock, vibration and vessel motion while shrinking size and integration burden. |
|
December 2025 HARLEQUIN |
THV Galatea during normal buoy and lighthouse-support operations. |
COLD-ATOM ACCELERATION gMOT quantum accelerometer integrated with conventional navigation. |
System operated in a genuine working maritime environment while the vessel continued normal tasks. | First field demonstration of the gMOT cold-atom navigation platform. | Cold-atom sources, locked lasers, optical assemblies, inertial processing and rugged marine enclosures. | System upgrades followed by a second maritime field trial planned for late 2026. |
|
October 2025 Tiqker |
Royal Navy XV Excalibur extra-large uncrewed underwater vessel. |
OPTICAL ATOMIC CLOCK High-stability onboard timing. |
Clock operated reliably during multiple dives and supplied a stable onboard precision-time reference. | First reported optical atomic clock operated at sea aboard an underwater vessel. | Optical clocks, timing electronics, submarine integration, secure timing distribution and autonomous PNT. | Performance benchmarking and integration with navigation, sonar, communications and other submarine systems. |
|
October 2025 Sussex OPM |
Royal Navy Hydrographic Exploitation Group survey craft operating from Portsmouth. |
MAGNETIC NAVIGATION Optically pumped magnetometers. |
Sensors measured local magnetic variations and mapped signatures associated with surrounding features. | Demonstrated a possible navigation layer plus additional sensing of vessels, seabed features and hazards. | Quantum magnetometers, magnetic maps, anomaly databases, compensation software and sensor-fusion processors. | Improve map coverage and separate useful geographic signatures from ship-generated magnetic interference. |
|
July 2025 Q-CTRL Dual Gravimeter |
Royal Australian Navy training vessel MV Sycamore. |
GRAVITY NAVIGATION Strapdown quantum dual gravimeter. |
More than 144 hours of continuous autonomous data collection with no human intervention during maritime operations. | Equipment fit into a single server-rack space and drew about 180 watts during the disclosed trial. | Quantum gravimeters, gravity maps, software ruggedisation, vibration rejection and navigation computing. | Turn gravity measurements into a mature navigation solution across larger operating areas and map sets. |
|
June 2025 AQlock Sea Trial |
Royal Navy HMS Pursuer operating in the Solent. |
COLD-ATOM CLOCK Independent precision timing. |
AQlock operated continuously for three days in moving open-sea conditions. | Demonstrated that a compact cold-atom clock could remain functional outside a laboratory on a moving vessel. | Compact vacuum systems, laser cooling, oscillators, power conditioning, rugged packaging and PNT interfaces. | The August 2026 radar experiment began answering the next question: integration with real mission systems. |
Maritime Quantum PNT Resilience Planner
Build a layered navigation architecture for a GNSS-denied voyage and see which timing, motion and map-aiding functions remain independently covered.
We welcome your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas for enhancements.
Please click here to get in touch