The solution is equipped with a dual-constellation GNSS receiver.
A French company’s new solution can help maintain radio communications in increasingly contested electronic warfare environments. Thales’ TopStar Smart Receiver is a three-in-one ultra-compact solution providing land forces with resilient positioning, navigation and timing capabilities.
The system can be integrated into land vehicles, drones and munitions.
“Powered by cutting-edge technologies, the TopStar Smart Receiver delivers resilient, high-performance Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capabilities for land platforms, drones and munitions,” said Florent Chauvancy, Vice-President, Avionics and Flight activities, Thales.
“Innovative, reliable, competitive and compact, it ensures mission continuity in the most demanding operations, showcasing Thales’ expertise and commitment to innovation in support of the armed forces.”
New system is a three-in-one ultra-compact solution
The new system is a three-in-one ultra-compact solution providing land forces with resilient positioning, navigation and timing capabilities, while maintaining radio communications in increasingly contested electronic warfare environments.
The solution is equipped with a dual-constellation GNSS receiver, integrating signals from military constellations, Galileo PRS, and civilian GPS, and providing resistance to spoofing, with enhanced accuracy and availability.
It also has an anti-jamming function and its adaptive CRPA (Controlled Radiation Pattern Antenna), reduces interference from jammers, and enables operation at distances up to thirty times closer than with a conventional GPS receiver.
Solution is already available for testing in real-world conditions
The solution’s high-performance clock, ensuring synchronisation of tactical radios for up to 48 hours following GNSS signal loss, versus 30 minutes with conventional equipment.
Produced entirely within a sovereign European industrial base, TopStar Smart Receiver is assembled at Thales’ site in Valence, France. The company also claimed that this solution is already available for testing in real-world conditions.
Its miniature form factor makes this solution the most compact and cost-effective currently available for integration into land vehicles, drones and munitions.
The newly secured solution integrates advanced technologies designed to provide resilient, robust, and continuous navigation data. It combines multiple sources of positioning information, reducing reliance on vulnerable satellite signals.
Electronic warfare systems, by nature, are designed to detect, analyze, and counter threats across the electromagnetic spectrum. These systems can identify enemy signals and protect friendly assets from disruption or targeting . Thales leverages such expertise to enhance navigation reliability even under intense signal interference.
By integrating resilient navigation into this ecosystem, Thales ensures seamless coordination across different military platforms. This integration enhances operational effectiveness and allows forces to maintain strategic advantage in contested environments.
The importance of resilient navigation is growing as militaries adopt more network-centric and autonomous technologies. From unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to precision-guided munitions, reliable positioning data is critical.
As electronic warfare becomes a defining feature of future conflicts, resilient navigation systems will be indispensable. Thales’ latest achievement marks an important step toward ensuring that armed forces can operate effectively—even in the most challenging and contested environments.
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Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.