U.S. Army Awards Tern $11.26 Million for GPS-Free Vehicle Navigation
The U.S. Army awards Austin startup Tern $11.26 million to deploy closed, vehicle-based navigation that works when GPS is jammed or unavailable for soldiers.
Summary
The U.S. Army awarded Austin startup Tern an $11.26 million contract to deploy its low-cost, GPS-independent navigation in military vehicles, announced September 10, 2026. Tern, which calls the system “Google Maps for the battlefield,” connects a vehicle’s diagnostics board to a soldier’s tablet. It passively reads vehicle data without interrupting its flow, then uses undisclosed proprietary methods and edge processing to provide latitude, longitude, routing and navigation. The closed system can operate on roads, off road, in tunnels and deserts, while remaining harder for adversaries to disrupt. Deployment scale was not disclosed.
Co-founder Brett Harrison tested the technology during a 1,300-mile drive from Austin to Laguna Beach, California. Tern maintained the vehicle’s position throughout, while conventional GPS failed dozens of times. The contract arrives as GPS interference increases in the Middle East and above Ukraine and Russia. U.S. military jamming experiments may have contributed to a deadly medevac crash earlier in 2026, while Congress and President Trump’s first administration pursued resilient alternatives. Harrison, an Afghanistan special operations veteran, and co-founder and CEO Shaun Moore designed Tern for scalable field deployment rather than experimental demonstrations.
Positives
- The $11.26 million Army contract moves Tern’s GPS-independent navigation into military vehicles.
- Tern maintained positioning throughout Brett Harrison’s 1,300-mile drive from Austin to Laguna Beach.
- Closed, edge-based processing makes Tern’s navigation harder for adversaries to disrupt.
- The system works on roads, off road, in tunnels and deserts without interrupting vehicle data.
- A diagnostics-board device and tablet interface provide soldiers with position, navigation and routing.
Risks & concerns
- The Army and Tern have not disclosed how many vehicles or units will receive the technology.
- Tern has not explained the proprietary methods that convert vehicle data into latitude and longitude.
- GPS disruption is increasing in the Middle East and above Ukraine and Russia.
- U.S. military jamming tests may have contributed to a deadly medevac crash earlier in 2026.
