Aquark Technologies, the Royal Navy and Saab UK have completed a trial to run a military radar network without global navigation satellite systems, using quantum-based timing from Aquark's AQlock system.
The exercise involved two Saab Giraffe 1X radars at separate sites, with the Royal Navy's experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett and the Defence Science and Technology Labouratory serving as network rebroadcast nodes. QinetiQ also took part. The participants described it as the first known demonstration of a distributed military radar network maintaining a coherent operational air picture using timing sources independent of GNSS.
The project addresses a growing concern for defence planners and operators of critical infrastructure. Satellite navigation signals are vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, and disruption can affect not only military systems but also aviation, shipping, financial markets and security processes that depend on precise timing.
Government estimates cited by the participants put the cost of a 24-hour GNSS outage in the UK at £1.42 billion, rising to £7.64 billion over seven days. Against that backdrop, the trial examined whether networked radar systems could continue operating together when satellite-based timing was unavailable or untrusted.
A time server distributes time-of-day information across a network so connected systems remain synchronised. In this case, Aquark integrated its cold-atom clock technology into a quantum-based time server and linked it with the two radar systems, allowing them to coordinate using local timing rather than GNSS-delivered signals.
Trial results
The participants said the two AQlock 2.0 units were delivered to geographically separate locations and reached an acceptable timing signal from cold in less than 30 minutes. The trial then showed that the two operational radar systems could produce a single air picture relying solely on AQlock for timing under conditions designed to mimic GNSS denial and spoofing.
The work also tested what happened when timing was disrupted. The radar network showed predictable degradation during loss of synchronisation and recovered quickly once synchronisation was restored, according to the participants.
That matters because cooperative radars depend on accurate timing to combine information from multiple sensors into a single picture. By separating that function from GNSS, the trial explored how operators might preserve situational awareness in contested environments where satellite signals are being interfered with.
This was the third trial Aquark has carried out with the Royal Navy. Work on the Royal Navy's Quantum Optimised Radar project began in December 2025 and led to the construction of two prototype cold-atom clocks by the end of June 2026.
AQlock derives its timing accuracy and stability from quantum mechanical effects. Its core uses Aquark's "Super-molasses trap", an approach the company says supports miniaturisation and wider deployment. The technology has already been tested on land platforms, naval surface vessels and an uncrewed air platform.
Earlier work with the Royal Navy included sea trials aboard HMS Pursuer, where Aquark tested the clock's performance at sea. The latest exercise moved beyond proving the clock itself and into integration with operational radar systems.
Matthew Aldous, Timing Lead at Aquark Technologies, set out the company's view of the programme's significance. "This trial is a milestone in the development of UK sovereign quantum technology and a first-of-its-kind application of a UK atomic clock. It's the first known time that a pair of British built cold atom systems has been deployed in answer to a genuine defence challenge, and we're very proud to work with Saab and the Royal Navy in this way," he said.
The radar element came from Saab's Giraffe 1X system, which is used for air surveillance and situational awareness. Integrating the timing source with an operational radar rather than a laboratory set-up gave the trial a more direct defence application.
Andy Fraser Moore, Group Managing Director at Saab UK, highlighted the collaborative aspect of the project. "This trial is a great example of how collaboration can accelerate innovation. By combining quantum timing technology with Saab's advanced Giraffe 1X radar system, we have demonstrated a practical capability that could help customers continue to operate effectively when it matters most," he said.
The trial also reflects a broader push in the UK to build sovereign alternatives in quantum and timing technologies as concerns grow over dependence on external satellite services. For defence users, trusted timing has become part of the wider challenge of position, navigation and timing resilience in hostile or disrupted environments.
The participants said the radar network's ability to maintain a coherent view of an area could support faster decisions when satellite-based timing services are unavailable or cannot be trusted, especially during conflict.