The war in Ukraine has ramped up efforts to defend artillery systems against GPS jamming and spoofing. Now, the U.S. and its allies are emphasizing upgrades to keep their heavy weaponry effective in contemporary electronic warfare. But adapting the technology for use in land platforms offers a potential solution to the threat, the air combat adaptation previously being made to self-protect against the effects of jamming at high altitude that can disrupt weapon guidance.
The Challenge of GPS Jamming
The newest systems of artillery, like the U.S.-made HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), are precision-guided and depend a lot on data provided by satellites, especially GPS. But as shown in Ukraine, Russian troops have fielded effective jamming methods, making these systems less effective. A secret report earlier reported that HIMARS — which before had been seen as a game-changer — had become “completely ineffective” due to Russian electronic warfare.
These munitions can use GPS guidance, if available. Before it launches the missle, the launcher has to figure out its precise location and the location of GPS satellites to target the missile. After launch, the missile usually uses this data to hit its target. With the loss of reliable GPS, precision is undermined, dalmaging combat effectiveness.
Even self-propelled howitzers, such as the French CAESAR and Swedish Archer, have added GPS to their fire control systems. As they become increasingly dependent on GPS, these weapons are susceptible to electronic warfare measures — underscoring the need for improved protection.
US Military’s Response
The U.S. Army is preparing missile upgrades to protect missile sites from the growing threat of GPS interference by investing $75 million in its fiscal year 2025 budget. In the last two years, the Army has procured 376 anti-jamming kits for HIMARS. And an additional 284 kits will be installed on HIMARS and the larger M270A1 missile launchers between 2025 and 2029.
But the digital GPS anti-jam receiver (DIGAR), which BAE Systems produce, is perhaps the biggest upgrade. Initially developed for fighter jets like the F-16 and F-15, DIGAR is currently being modified to function with land-based systems. Ground-based launchers also have other environmental issues to deal with, such as dust, debris, and missile exhaust, which are not a concern for aircraft. But experts say integration is relatively simple.
DIGAR is a small, silver box roughly the size of a laptop. And it works by filtering out interference — helping to ensure that GPS signals stay clear even in contested environments. Oops! The commentary of an industry expert regarding the jamming problem sums up the answer: if the user with DIGAR is jammed one more time the enemy transmitter is more likely to be close enough to be dusted off using small arms fire.
International Efforts
The United States isn’t the only country to see the threat of GPS jamming. Other allied countries are also taking similar moves to make their military systems more resilient:
It replaced the ones with Israel MLRS systems. Reports indicated that these systems were susceptible to GPS jamming even as the manufacturing company issued denials.
The UK has ordered more than 1,000 Landshield anti-jamming systems from Raytheon These hockey-puck-sized devices boost GPS signals and protect them from being interfered with.
Israel has been working on advanced anti-jamming solutions, set to be rolled out for the new military-grade M-Code GPS standard, which is resistant to electronic attacks. Some of the technologies have already been sold to unknown foreign purchasers.
“Sooner or later all international students of HIMARS will receive DIGAR,” an industry insider said. Several European nations have also already begun sending their HIMARS launchers to the U.S. for upgrades. From now on, all newly produced HIMARS will have DIGAR built in.
Lockheed Martin’s Role
Lockheed Martin, the maker of HIMARS, has indicated that it plans to upgrade M270 launchers for its foreign customers, but this has not been confirmed for HIMARS retrofits. But with the widespread push for electronic warfare protection, experts said it was inevitable that similar upgrades will come for HIMARS.
GPS-Protected Artillery — The Future
And as warfare continues to evolve, electronic countermeasures are proving just as critical as physical armor. The ability to implement it into artillery and missile systems shows a change of military priorities. The upgrades are critical for future conflicts, as reliable GPS guidance can make the difference between hitting or missing a target.
America and its allies are racing to maintain an edge in this electronic arms race. As adversaries work on advanced jamming capability, DIGAR and analogous systems bring us important protection and enable precision-guided artillery to remain combat effective in the modern battlefield.
The Challenge of GPS Jamming
The newest systems of artillery, like the U.S.-made HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), are precision-guided and depend a lot on data provided by satellites, especially GPS. But as shown in Ukraine, Russian troops have fielded effective jamming methods, making these systems less effective. A secret report earlier reported that HIMARS — which before had been seen as a game-changer — had become “completely ineffective” due to Russian electronic warfare.
These munitions can use GPS guidance, if available. Before it launches the missle, the launcher has to figure out its precise location and the location of GPS satellites to target the missile. After launch, the missile usually uses this data to hit its target. With the loss of reliable GPS, precision is undermined, dalmaging combat effectiveness.
Even self-propelled howitzers, such as the French CAESAR and Swedish Archer, have added GPS to their fire control systems. As they become increasingly dependent on GPS, these weapons are susceptible to electronic warfare measures — underscoring the need for improved protection.
US Military’s Response
The U.S. Army is preparing missile upgrades to protect missile sites from the growing threat of GPS interference by investing $75 million in its fiscal year 2025 budget. In the last two years, the Army has procured 376 anti-jamming kits for HIMARS. And an additional 284 kits will be installed on HIMARS and the larger M270A1 missile launchers between 2025 and 2029.
But the digital GPS anti-jam receiver (DIGAR), which BAE Systems produce, is perhaps the biggest upgrade. Initially developed for fighter jets like the F-16 and F-15, DIGAR is currently being modified to function with land-based systems. Ground-based launchers also have other environmental issues to deal with, such as dust, debris, and missile exhaust, which are not a concern for aircraft. But experts say integration is relatively simple.
DIGAR is a small, silver box roughly the size of a laptop. And it works by filtering out interference — helping to ensure that GPS signals stay clear even in contested environments. Oops! The commentary of an industry expert regarding the jamming problem sums up the answer: if the user with DIGAR is jammed one more time the enemy transmitter is more likely to be close enough to be dusted off using small arms fire.
International Efforts
The United States isn’t the only country to see the threat of GPS jamming. Other allied countries are also taking similar moves to make their military systems more resilient:
It replaced the ones with Israel MLRS systems. Reports indicated that these systems were susceptible to GPS jamming even as the manufacturing company issued denials.
The UK has ordered more than 1,000 Landshield anti-jamming systems from Raytheon These hockey-puck-sized devices boost GPS signals and protect them from being interfered with.
Israel has been working on advanced anti-jamming solutions, set to be rolled out for the new military-grade M-Code GPS standard, which is resistant to electronic attacks. Some of the technologies have already been sold to unknown foreign purchasers.
“Sooner or later all international students of HIMARS will receive DIGAR,” an industry insider said. Several European nations have also already begun sending their HIMARS launchers to the U.S. for upgrades. From now on, all newly produced HIMARS will have DIGAR built in.
Lockheed Martin’s Role
Lockheed Martin, the maker of HIMARS, has indicated that it plans to upgrade M270 launchers for its foreign customers, but this has not been confirmed for HIMARS retrofits. But with the widespread push for electronic warfare protection, experts said it was inevitable that similar upgrades will come for HIMARS.
GPS-Protected Artillery — The Future
And as warfare continues to evolve, electronic countermeasures are proving just as critical as physical armor. The ability to implement it into artillery and missile systems shows a change of military priorities. The upgrades are critical for future conflicts, as reliable GPS guidance can make the difference between hitting or missing a target.
America and its allies are racing to maintain an edge in this electronic arms race. As adversaries work on advanced jamming capability, DIGAR and analogous systems bring us important protection and enable precision-guided artillery to remain combat effective in the modern battlefield.
