EVERETT — A military test-flight, relying only on the earth’s magnetic field for navigation, originated at Paine Field in a milestone that defense experts are calling a critical advance for aviation and national security.
The test flight by the Defense Innovation Unit, a commercial wing of the U.S. Department of War, achieved safe and accurate navigation of open ocean without using satellites and GPS during the 4 hour, 23 minute flight over the Pacific Ocean.
The groundbreaking flight test was a success for MagNav, DIU’s magnetic navigation program, using quantum sensors to read the Earth’s natural magnetic field, turning the planet’s crust into an invisible, unjammable map that allows pilots to navigate safely regardless of weather, time of day or GPS availability, according to the Dept. of War.
“This is a significant win for the department’s quantum sensing priorities, showcasing that MagNav capabilities are no longer a distant research goal,” said Kyle Norman, deputy director of DIU’s Kill Web portfolio, in a written statement.
According to Norman, the Earth’s magnetic field cannot be spoofed or blocked by hostile forces. The new technology also significantly improves on legacy backup options such as radar mapping or visual cues like rivers, highways and cities.
The system was installed aboard an Embraer 170 aircraft to demonstrate real-world capabilities. The route took the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean, from Paine to southern Alaska and back.
The MagNav program launched in spring 2024 under the name “Transition of Quantum Sensing.” A total of 72 companies submitted applications to the commercial solutions opening, with Honeywell Aerospace ultimately selected to move forward with prototype development.
After four hours and 23 minutes of flying over the ocean without GPS, the MagNav system improved position accuracy by 89% compared to traditional backup navigation methods, according to the flight data. The navigation data streamed directly to the pilots in real time via standard tablets, showing that military personnel can field the technology without a massive overhaul of cockpit instruments.
The test mission also added the complexity of the ocean surface — a featureless, constantly shifting expanse that would traditionally require internal sensors in the absence of GPS.
The problem, however, is that classical sensors drift over time. What starts as a small miscalculation can become a massive, dangerous deviation if left unchecked, according to DIU officials. By reading the Earth’s magnetic signatures, MagNav gives pilots a highly accurate, continuous map even when no visible landmarks exist.
Honeywell and DIU are preparing to demonstrate the technology on a U.S. military C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft later this year. By proving that aircraft can maintain pinpoint accuracy over the featureless ocean without GPS, the Dept. of War is taking a significant step toward ensuring that military and commercial pilots can safely reach their destinations, no matter what happens to the satellite networks above them.
This link includes a flight tracker map of the flight that originated at Paine Field.
According to the website, Aviation International News, in August, Honeywell Aerospace director for alternative navigation products, Ben Mohr, said quantum magnetometers are already small enough to install on aircraft and are commercially available, while quantum inertial sensors remain too large for airborne use. “Those are not science fiction,” Mohr said of the magnetometers. “You can buy them today. They’re not cheap, but you can order one.”