Q40: Defence’s new weapon in the battle for assured positioning, navigation and timing (PNT)

For NATO troops operating in today’s contested environments, precision is everything. They need to know their precise location, the position of their equipment and be able to precisely target weapons, even when satellite signals are being jammed or manipulated.

That’s where the new Q40 receiver comes in.

Designed and developed in the UK by QinetiQ, under a Ministry of Defence (MOD) programme, the Q40 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver is designed to deliver mission critical position, navigation and timing (PNT).

The Q40 offers soldiers, vehicles, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) and guided weapons a highly robust PNT solution that keeps working even in the harshest operating conditions such as Ukraine – including when systems are under attack from jamming and spoofing.

Unlike many commercial receivers, Q40 can acquire global satellite constellation frequency bands independently, which means it can still deliver a PNT solution even if the L1 frequency band is attacked.

The Q40’s design allows integration with inertial sensors and other alternatives to satellite navigation, enabling a System of Systems Approach (SOSA) to resilience.

There are two versions of the system already being delivered:

  • MicroPNT - for use in land vehicles, dismounted soldier systems and UAVs
  • MicroStrike - designed to survive the high dynamics of guided munition flight as well as the high accelerations experienced in artillery fire.
Q40 GNSS use cases

Unlike encrypted receivers, the Q40 is not subject to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) restrictions, meaning it’s faster to procure and offers a security and assuredness around supply that is critical in today’s high threat environment.

The Q40’s high performance, resilience to interference, tested capability and secure supply make it a desirable capability for armed forces leaders and front-line troops alike.

18/02/2026

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