Image: Instagram – LTGEN Susan Coyle, Australia Defence Forces
What’s new: The leader for Joint Capabilities for Australia’s Defence Force (J8 in the U.S.) discussing navigation warfare at Australia Institute of Navigation’s PNT2026 in Sydney.
Why it’s important: The article cites several key observations she makes about the importance and vulnerabilities of PNT and their impact on military operations:
- “… automated decision making, and synchronising manoeuvres across the land, sea, air, space and cyber domains.”
- “…depends on assured, trusted, and accurate positioning, navigation, and timing,”
- “PNT isn’t a subsystem, it’s the invisible connective tissue of what the ADF calls its ‘integrated force’ — the joint, networked, all-domain force.”
- “… ADF must assure access to PNT; it is a ‘no fail’.”
- “In the worst case, the integrated force becomes siloed, disaggregated, and blindfolded — connected systems operating in isolation, unaware of each other or the enemy, and vulnerable to exploitation.”
What else to know (with input from some of our Australian members):
- Like the U.S., Australia seems to have drawn a bright line between military and civil use of PNT. Australian Defence Force’s Joint PNT Directorate keeps things coordinated for the military.
- What is less clear is what is being done to improve PNT resilience for civil users beyond some headline initiatives such as the ‘SouthPan’ Space Based Augmentation System.
- At the moment Australia’s civil needs seem to be dealt with by sub-committee working under the Space Coordination Committee. Yet national PNT resilience needs non-space sources like fiber and terrestrial broadcast.
- Military and larger national security concerns depend upon uninterrupted PNT for civil users.
- Having a strong military will count for naught if civil infrastructure and society collapses because the PNT that underpins virtually everything fails.
- National PNT resilience risk should be elevated in priority as has been done in the UK. A joint civil-military office ensuring security for the whole nation.
- RNT Foundation is proud to have Australian members including:
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What can you do? How can you help?
PNT is the quiet backbone of everything that works — power, finance, transportation, defense. Too many leaders still don’t see the risk.
But you do.
You understand the systems, the dependencies, the failure chains. That insight is rare — and it’s exactly what your country needs.
So speak up.
Reach out to government leaders, industry decision‑makers, and your fellow citizens.
Show them why resilient PNT isn’t a feature — it’s the necessary foundation.
And when you get a response, tell us. Every conversation strengthens the mission.
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PNT assurance in the age of NAVWAR
By jnally on 10 February, 2026
Positioning, navigation and timing within the ADF is a ‘no fail,’ says the Chief of Joint Capabilities.
By Jonathan Nally
Delegates at last week’s PNT2026 conference in Sydney were reminded of the importance of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) assurance for the defence of Australia.
Presenting a keynote address on the first day of the event, Lieutenant General Susan Coyle AM CSC DSM outlined the ways in which the Australian Defence Force (ADF) relies upon PNT, and why that involves also dealing with its vulnerabilities.
