System and method for maintaining cooperative precision navigation and timing (pnt) across networked platforms in contested environments

Abstract

A system and method established and maintains precision relative position, navigation, and timing (PNT) across a network of at least four mutually connected mobile platforms. In embodiments, a key (e.g., advantaged, absolute positioning capable) node of the network determines its pressure altitude and inertial state relative to its platform reference frame and receives inertial state and pressure altitude data from each neighboring node (in exchange for its own) to estimate the relative position and orientation of each neighbor node in its platform frame. The key node performs ranging to each neighboring node, and the neighboring nodes additionally range between each other and exchange ranging data with the key node. By correcting position and orientation estimates via ranging data, the key node determines and maintains extended relative PNT (e.g., in GPS-denied areas), which relative PNT solution is distributed across all network nodes.