Defense Navigation Market Report 2026

The defense navigation market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $326.15 billion in 2025 to $371.54 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increased use of satellite-based positioning to enhance troop movement accuracy, rising reliance on force navigation systems for hostile-environment operations, growth in deployment of signal jamming solutions to counter adversary navigation capabilities, adoption of remotely operated vehicle navigation improving reconnaissance effectiveness, expanding demand for navigation displays supporting real-time situational awareness.

The defense navigation market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $616.96 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to advancements in anti-jam and resilient navigation technologies enhancing mission reliability, rising integration of autonomous navigation capabilities in unmanned systems, expansion of multi-constellation satellite navigation improving precision and redundancy, increasing investment in secure navigation systems to mitigate electronic warfare threats, growing demand for advanced navigation solutions supporting complex joint and night-time operations. Major trends in the forecast period include expansion of uav and autonomous vehicle navigation systems, increased adoption of signal jamming technologies, integration of navigation displays with command and control systems, growth in force navigation services for military operations, enhancement in remotely operated vehicle navigation.

The expansion of drone production is anticipated to contribute to the growth of the defense navigation market. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), operate without a human pilot on board and play a crucial role in defense navigation for activities such as border patrol, maritime security, battlefield surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. According to The Jamestown Foundation's report in September 2023, Russia is expected to witness a significant increase in drone production, projecting a production volume of 105,500 units between 2027 and 2030, compared to an estimated 52,100 drones for the period between 2023 and 2026. This upsurge in drone production is a key driver for the growth of the defense navigation market.

Leading companies in the defense navigation market are actively engaged in technological advancements, exemplified by the development of digital fiber optic gyroscope (DFOG) solutions. DFOG utilizes fiber optic technology and digital signal processing to measure the rate of rotation or angular velocity of an object. In September 2023, Advanced Navigation, an Australia-based manufacturer of inertial navigation systems, launched 'Boreas,' a strategic-grade DFOG inertial navigation system. Noteworthy for its ultra-high accuracy and a 40% reduction in size, weight, power, and cost compared to competitors, Boreas integrates a sensor fusion algorithm for extracting extensive information. Its applications span across aerospace, marine, robotics, and various other industries.

In January 2025, Viavi Solutions Inc., a U.S.-based technology company, acquired Inertial Labs, Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Viavi aims to incorporate Inertial Labs’ advanced navigation and sensing technologies - including Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and LiDAR scanning - into its portfolio to enhance its offerings, expand its presence in aerospace, defense, and autonomous systems markets, and accelerate entry into high-growth sectors such as autonomous delivery and transportation systems. Inertial Labs, Inc. is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in defense navigation solutions.

Major companies operating in the defense navigation market are Cobham Limited, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Teledyne FLIR LLC, Furuno Electric Co. Ltd., Garmin Ltd., General Electric Company, Honeywell International Inc., Israel Aerospace Industries, Kongsberg Gruppen, L3 Technologies Inc., KVH Industries Inc., Moog Inc., Northrop Grumman Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Thales Group, RTX Corporation, BAE Systems plc, Safran S.A., Leonardo S.p.A., Elbit Systems Ltd., General Dynamics Corporation, Leidos Holdings Inc., Ultra Electronics Holdings plc, Saab AB.

North America was the largest region in the defense navigation market in 2025. The regions covered in the defense navigation market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs impact the defense navigation market by increasing costs for imported advanced navigation systems, gyros, and electronic components. Airborne and naval platforms, especially in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions, are most affected due to global supply dependencies. While tariffs may slow procurement and raise prices, they also drive investment in domestic manufacturing, promote innovation in navigation technologies, and enhance national defense capabilities.

The defense navigation market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides defense navigation market statistics, including defense navigation industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a defense navigation market share, detailed defense navigation market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the defense navigation industry. This defense navigation market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Defense navigation encompasses satellite-based positioning systems utilized in military scenarios to assist personnel in navigating challenging terrains and executing nighttime operations. This technology aids in pinpointing troop locations, assessing the relative positions of opposing forces, and identifying enemy infrastructure or facilities.

Key defense navigation platforms span across airborne, maritime, and terrestrial domains. Within the airborne sector, platforms encompass a variety of aircraft types, including high-altitude planes, free-fall balloons, and UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems). These platforms, ranging from low-altitude, slow-moving craft to high-speed entities, leverage defense navigation for target tracking and aerial obstacle avoidance. Technological solutions within defense navigation comprise fiber optic gyro navigation, ring laser gyro navigation, mechanical navigation, hemispherical resonator gyro navigation, and micromechanical systems-based navigation, all of which find application in maritime vessels, autonomous underwater vehicles, and remotely operated underwater vehicles in addition to airborne systems.

The countries covered in the defense navigation market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The defense navigation market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing force navigation, signal jamming, and remotely operated vehicle navigation services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The defense navigation market also includes sales of navigation displays and related equipment used in providing navigation services. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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