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What’s new: Canada just released its “Positioning, Navigation and Timing Resilience Framework” to address its over-dependence on GNSS for PNT.
Why it’s important: PNT is essential to modern life and a nation’s stability, even survival. Recognizing the problem and then taking action is essential.
What else to know:
- The document is an excellent primer or “explainer” of the issues and how Canada is going mitigate threats.
- The framework articulates a number of good principles such as “dual use,” “sovereign,” “multi-layer,” and “system-of-systems.”
- It seems Canada is very much following the UK’s path, not that of the U.S.
- It is a public document so we have reproduced it in its entirety below. A link to the posting on the Canadian government site is at the bottom.
- Well done Jennifer and Team Canada!
Positioning, Navigation and Timing Resilience Framework
Why PNT resilience matters
PNT technologies and systems provide the information we need to understand where we are (positioning), to determine how to get to where we need to go (navigation), and to synchronize networks or for timestamping (timing). Nearly every aspect of our digital and physical infrastructure is underpinned by PNT capabilities, including billions of digitally connected devices – used in phones, machines, ambulances, banks, planes, ships, tractors, oil rigs and more – as well as military platforms, weapon systems, tools, cyber and communications networks.
An example of PNT systems that many Canadians rely on daily are Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) that transmit radio signals delivering PNT information. The most well known GNSS is the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Although we are heavily reliant on them, GNSS signals can be disrupted by intentional or unintentional threats resulting in a loss or degradation of PNT information. In recent years, reported incidents of disruptions are increasing in both frequency and complexity.
This reliance extends beyond direct GNSS users. PNT-dependent systems and services are highly interconnected and cross many sectors of the economy. Greater automation and digitization increase not only GNSS dependencies, but also complexity as users look to increase the accuracy or reliability of assured PNT information. Many PNT dependencies are indirect, and users may have low awareness of the risks.
In addition to disruption risks, we are also dependent on non-Canadian GNSS. Shifting from reliance to resilience will require the use of diverse PNT sources coupled with the development of sovereign PNT capabilities. This will help to increase strategic autonomy and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.
While GNSS is a foundational source of PNT, and many activities heavily depend on it, it is only one of many technologies capable of supporting PNT needs. Other PNT technologies include atomic clocks, inertial navigation systems, quantum sensors and more. Regardless of what system or technology is used, there will continue to be a fundamental need for PNT capabilities.
The Framework is a response to these challenges. It establishes a common structure to guide efforts across multiple sectors, technologies, systems and users that rely on PNT. It also sets out a coordinated approach to strengthen the resilience of PNT-dependent services that contribute to the safety, security, and economic well-being of Canadians. Recognizing that PNT resilience is achieved through a combination of technologies, partnerships and informed decision-making, the Framework identifies principles and areas of focus to advance PNT risk management and sovereign PNT capabilities, serving both military and civil needs.
Understanding PNT and the risks of disruption
PNT underpins the functioning of modern civil and military networks, systems and infrastructure. Specifically:
- accurate positioning and location increase the quality, efficiency, and productivity in a variety of sectors including transportation, precision agriculture, oil and gas, mining, surveying, and construction; It is also critical for emergency operation and can also be used to understand ground movement for earthquake and volcano monitoring or changes in water levels
- reliable and safe navigation supports the movement of people and goods across all modes of transportation and enables applications such as autonomous aircraft, vehicles and shipping
- precise timing technologies and services deliver a primary source of time, provide synchronization in telecommunication networks, balance electricity flows, detect faults, support traceability of events and time stamping of financial transactions
How GNSS supports PNT
GNSS like GPS (United States), Galileo (European Union), GLONASS (Russia), and BeiDou (China) have revolutionized PNT. GNSS provide global coverage and GNSS-enabled user technologies are readily available and generally easy to integrate into systems. For example, any compatible receiver, such as a smartphone can “listen” for the radio frequency signals sent by the satellites, decode the information in those signals and blend the information with, for example, a digital map to show exactly where you are, where you are going and what time it is.
Canada is at an inflection point. While GNSS remains central to PNT, over-reliance on a single source of PNT, across military and civil sectors and without alternatives is a single‑point‑of‑failure risk for national and economic security. Whether environmental or human induced, intentional or unintentional, disruptions to PNT could have an impact on Canadians who rely on PNT-dependent systems and services. It is also important to differentiate human-induced interference to GNSS from space weather impacts.
What can disrupt GNSS
GNSS signals are inherently weak when they arrive on Earth, making them susceptible to being denied, disrupted or degraded. For example, environmental phenomena, such as space weather can degrade or disrupt GNSS performance, particularly in high latitude regions. Jamming denies the receiver from using the PNT signal. Spoofing broadcasts a fake signal with incorrect PNT information. Meaconing captures a real PNT signal and replays it with a time delay.
In Canada’s Arctic region, space weather impacts are more pronounced resulting from limited satellite visibility at northern latitudes, as well as reduced coverage of GNSS satellite-based augmentation systems. Together, these factors can significantly diminish the accuracy, availability, and reliability of PNT services, and exacerbate any potential human-induced interference in Canada’s Arctic region.
Why resilience matters
The risk is heightened by complex interdependencies among systems. Since PNT underpins many interconnected services, disruptions to GNSS or other sources of PNT can have cascading effects across sectors, supply chains, government operations and the economy. Many users are unaware of their PNT dependence or the potential consequences of a disruption. Canada’s geography, diverse operating environments, and broad range of PNT users further increase the complexity of the challenge, making it unlikely that there is any one solution that will address all needs.
The performance of digital and physical infrastructure relies on PNT. The consequences of a significant or prolonged PNT disruption could be severe. Systems that we rely on every day could stop working properly; transportation and logistics could be constrained; networks could become unstable; automated operations could shut down; and organizations could lose the ability to safely or efficiently deliver essential services. PNT dependence is cross-sectoral: many sectors now depend on the same underlying GNSS signals and a disruption likely will not remain isolated to one system or one industry. The impacts could cascade across sectors and become increasingly difficult to manage the longer the disruption lasts. For some systems, the loss of PNT could mean the loss of the capability itself. At the same time, an even more challenging situation can occur when PNT appears to be available but cannot be trusted. If you lose PNT and you only have one source, you know you have a problem. If a receiver is being spoofed, the system may produce an answer that appears valid but is incorrect. Without additional features or authoritative or trusted sources to compare to, knowing that the PNT information is incorrect becomes difficult. Timing disruptions can be subtle where performance slowly declines or degrades.
What PNT resilience means
PNT resilience means actively managing the risks associated with PNT dependency and includes:
- the capacity to adapt to changing conditions
- the ability to withstand shock (i.e., maintaining an acceptable level of operations under adversity)
- the capability to recover from a disruption
Resilience enables a safe and acceptable level of operations even when PNT signals are denied, degraded or disrupted.
Resilience can be enhanced through technical measures, including PNT capability development and diversifying or combining PNT sources. PNT sources can be space-based, such as GNSS or the use of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for PNT; terrestrial, such as ground-based using the radio frequency spectrum to transmit PNT signals, including eLoran systems; or deployed locally, such as through sensor fusion approaches. However, resilience is not only a technical challenge. It also requires identifying PNT dependencies and assessing risks, continuity planning, testing and exercises, training, as well as monitoring and awareness. As a result, strengthening Canada’s PNT resilience requires coordination across a diverse ecosystem of users, infrastructure owners, service providers, technology developers, researchers and governments. Similar to other complex challenges, increasing PNT resilience requires a common structure to align understanding, support informed decision-making, and identify areas where collective action may be beneficial.
Increasingly, a multi-pronged approach is being considered that combines governance, risk management, technology diversification and strengthened domestic capability. The global market for resilient PNT technologies is emerging as a strategic growth sector, driven by increasing demand for systems that can operate when GNSS signals are denied, disrupted or degraded. These technologies are emerging across space and terrestrial domains, as well as other advanced non-radio technology domains such as quantum. Some of these technologies offer alternatives to GNSS or complement it, providing additional sources of PNT information to support some level of continued operation when GNSS signals are denied, disrupted, degraded, or otherwise unavailable. Sensor fusion, combining information from multiple sensors and addressing the complexity of integration, can also contribute to resilience.
At the same time, there is increasing recognition that building industrial PNT capabilities that support both civil and defence resilience objectives requires an environment that cultivates highly skilled personnel, supports investment, facilitates testing, and accelerates commercialization. Meeting Canada’s PNT resilience needs will require targeted support for research, development, demonstration, and scale up domestic activities across sectors.
Progress does not require every resilience issue to be addressed simultaneously. Different users and sectors will have different requirements, timelines, and opportunities to improve resilience. Incremental improvements can be made over time, with solutions being adopted to meet the most immediate needs while contributing to broader resilience objectives.
Principles for building PNT resilience
The Framework is organized around the following principles, which outline key considerations related to PNT resilience in Canada.
Civil-Defence Coordination: PNT technologies are dual-use, supporting both civil and defence needs. Canadians rely on PNT technologies for daily activities. PNT technologies are sensitive technologies with national security implications that are required to advance sovereign capabilities identified in Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, including space, uncrewed and autonomous systems, digital systems and sensors. Civil-defence coordination will reduce duplication in developing solutions and accelerate validation of PNT technologies.
PNT System Diversity: No single technology will address all of Canada’s PNT needs. Increasing resilience will require a multi-layered, system-of-systems approach that supports multiple sovereign and other PNT sources. System diversity includes incorporating new and emerging technologies and leveraging existing PNT sources where it makes sense so there are available options when primary systems become unavailable.
Strengthen Existing Systems: GNSS are expected to remain central to PNT use in Canada and internationally. PNT resilience may include the use of technologies or systems that complement or augment GNSS. In this respect, it increases robustness of the primary solution.
Guidance for Risk Management: Awareness of PNT risks and vulnerabilities are low. Trusted guidance is essential to support a broader understanding of PNT dependencies, managing risks, identifying best practices to support operation of critical services, including when GNSS signals may be degraded or unavailable.
Addressing Canada’s Geographic Requirements: Canada’s vast geography, extensive coastline, Arctic regions, and large areas of low population density create distinct PNT requirements that cannot be met by any single technology. Creating resilient PNT systems across the country requires a complementary mix of space-and terrestrial based technologies, sensors and new technologies to provide accurate PNT information for users operating across Canada’s land mass, coastal waters, remote northern regions, underwater and ground, and other challenging environments where service availability, coverage, and resilience are critical. It is equally important to identify and characterize areas or scenarios where PNT services may be degraded, denied or unavailable. Understanding these challenging environments would help inform risk assessments and enable the development of alternative capabilities, procedures, and contingency measures to ensure operational effectiveness.
What the Framework aims to achieve
The Framework seeks to strengthen PNT resilience and protect the safety, security and economic well-being of Canadians.
The PNT Framework is intended to improve Canada’s PNT resilience through initiatives that will:
- diversify Canada’s PNT sources: recognizing the importance of advancing multiple sources of PNT such as space- and terrestrial-based, sensors and emerging PNT technologies
- strengthen sovereign dual-use PNT capabilities: reflecting the role of domestic companies and technology development to support Canadian requirements
- foster investment and innovation: highlighting the importance of the right conditions to support companies developing and deploying dual use PNT technology
- improve awareness and preparedness: recognizing that PNT-dependent operations need continuity and that resilience is strengthened by situational awareness of the threats, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and best practices
10 areas of focus for PNT resilience
Building on the principles outlined above, the following areas of focus form the core of the Framework. Expressed as potential measures, these areas provide a common structure for exploring opportunities, fostering alignment and identifying areas for further consideration in support of PNT resilience in Canada.
- Establish a National PNT Office: Designate a centre of excellence in ISED to lead policy development, domestic and international engagement and civil-defence coordination, ensuring a unified approach to cross-sectoral PNT resilience in Canada.
- Strengthen National Preparedness: Develop a coordinated approach to respond effectively to GNSS disruptions for the continuity of critical federal operations.
- Increase Situational Awareness: Improve detection and early-warning capabilities of GNSS interference and manipulation, both cyber and physical, so that users can make operational decisions.
- Improve Critical Infrastructure Risk Management: Provide guidance and promote practices that strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure systems that rely on PNT.
- Build Secure National Sovereign Time Infrastructure: Establish a national sovereign timing backbone and regional access for critical users to support timing-dependent digital systems.
- Expand National Sovereign Geodetic Infrastructure: Bolster national geodetic infrastructure and capabilities underpinning PNT users and systems.
- Develop Dual-Use Space-Based PNT Capabilities: Foster emerging space-based and other non-terrestrial PNT capabilities that complement or provide alternatives to GNSS, improve PNT coverage and performance, including in Arctic regions, and enhance resistance to jamming and spoofing.
- Develop Dual-Use Terrestrial PNT Capabilities: Diversify PNT sources with ground-based PNT systems, including for maritime navigation.
- Grow Dual-Use Sensor Fusion PNT Capabilities: Accelerate the development of next-generation PNT capabilities, including quantum sensing and navigation, for performance in complex environments.
- Test and Validate Performance against Jamming and Spoofing: Facilitate open-air jamming and spoofing test-range capabilities to validate PNT equipment resilience under real-world conditions.
Advancing PNT resilience
Canadians rely heavily on PNT, dependencies are numerous and the importance of PNT resilience continues to grow. The future will require a multi-layered approach that balances a variety of solutions – both technical and operational – and that supports the assessment of risks associated with denied, degraded and disrupted environments.
This is a practical approach to advance PNT resilience. It provides a pathway to accelerate the development, testing, and validation of sovereign dual-use Canadian PNT solutions.
The Framework supports alignment that will improve resilience against GNSS disruptions, strengthen Canada’s defence innovation ecosystem, and support future procurement decisions through evidence of how PNT technologies perform in Canadian environments. Initiatives under this Framework will support federal partners in fast-tracking research and development of dual-use PNT technologies, support high-value jobs and economic growth across industry sectors.
Increasing PNT resilience is a cross-sectoral issue, requiring awareness and preparedness. As such, engagement with industry, academia and international partners will be required to advance initiatives under this Framework.
Additional information will be published as Canada’s PNT resilience initiatives continue to advance.
