Advanced Navigation, a world leader in assured positioning navigation and timing (APNT) technologies, with Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA), global leaders in spacecraft engines, aircraft components and defence solutions, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-develop strategic-grade APNT solutions. Signed on the opening day of Land Forces 2024 International Defence Exposition, the agreement will see the three companies collaborate on the development of high-performance inertial navigation systems (INS) for autonomous, airborne and crewed systems. This will be used for precision targeting and vehicle navigation in global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-contested environments across land and air domains. Under the agreement, the co-developed solutions will be integrated into Hanwha Aerospace’s global supply chain, aiding the advancement of the broader strategic APNT interests for Australia and international markets. By integrating Advanced Navigation’s IP in digital fibre-optic gyroscope (DFOG) technologies with Hanwha’s robust aerospace and defence capabilities, the agreement will look to augment Australia’s manufacturing and supply chain resilience to meet the demand of global military supply chains.
“Collaborating with Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Defense Australia will not only bring together the brightest in engineering minds, it will forge a path toward unrivalled PNT excellence and reinforce our technological sovereignty. We are pleased to sign this agreement with Advanced Navigation, as it reinforces our commitment to strengthening cooperation in developing joint advanced military capabilities. In support of uplifting the Australian industrial base, we look forward to equipping partners with next-generation solutions for accurate targeting, secure navigation, and synchronised operations in situations where GNSS signals may be degraded. This important sovereign capability will further strengthen the growing Australian South Korean relationship,” Shares Hanwha Defence Australia, Acting Managing Director Dean Michie said.
“Increasing global supply chain capacity will ensure critical defence capabilities remain uninterrupted. These technological strides will position Australia as a trailblazer in defence manufacturing on the international stage and strengthen its national security, ” Shares Hanwha Aerospace Mr Junghun You said.
“The landscape of sovereign defence manufacturing is experiencing a seismic shift, driven by advanced technologies like automation, machine learning, and precision engineering. Traditional approaches are no longer sufficient in meeting the complex demands of modern PNT systems,” Shares Advanced Navigation CEO Chris Shaw said.
Hanwha Defence Australia’s Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in Melbourne, Australia, will provide critical facilities supporting the production and sustainment of tracked armoured vehicles, including multiple assembly lines, a 1,200-metre test track, a deep-water test facility, an obstacle course and a research and development centre. Stage 2 of the development will also include Australia’s EMI/EMC (electromagnetic interference/compatibility) chamber and test shooting tunnel alongside an expanded manufacturing capability. In the neighbouring state of New South Wales, Advanced Navigation’s high-tech manufacturing facility increases the secure production of APNT solutions. Specifically, it enhances the critical output of strategic-grade DFOGs, which possess the heightened sensitivity necessary to detect the Earth’s rotation. Advanced Navigation is one of only four companies in the world with the capability to manufacture this technology.
Hanwha Defence Australia is a subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace, a division of the vast Republic of Korea Fortune 500 conglomerate Hanwha Corporation. Hanwha Corporation has been operating in Australia since 2005 in areas including mining equipment, logistics and sustainable energy. Headquartered in Melbourne, Hanwha Defence Australia was established in 2019 with an initial focus on Land Systems. Hanwha Defence Australia signed acquisition and initial support contracts for LAND 400 Phase 3 with a combined value of approximately $4.5 billion dollars at the end of 2023. The contracts will enable the delivery of the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) capability to the Australian Army, Army’s largest ever acquisition program. All Hanwha platforms will be manufactured in the Greater Geelong area of Victoria at the HDA Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE).
Founded in 2012, Advanced Navigation designs and manufactures software-enabled hardware to deliver industry-leading APNT solutions to global defence and commercial partners. Customers choose Advanced Navigation for high accuracy, reliable and dual-use products designed to military specifications across land, air, sea and space applications. Fields of expertise include inertial sensors, underwater acoustics, GNSS antennas and receivers, radio frequency systems, photonics, robotics and quantum-enhanced inertial navigation. Advanced Navigation is an Australian manufacturer exporting globally
