ANELLO Photonics has been awarded $20 million by the Department of War to fast-track the production and scaling of its specialized navigation technology.
The funding is provided under the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program. Established in FY2022 by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering, APFIT focuses on transitioning mature, mission-ready technologies into large-scale production. This selection highlights a critical operational requirement for systems that can maintain precise Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) in environments where GPS is contested or degraded.
The Santa Clara-based company is the developer of the Silicon Photonics Optical Gyroscope (SiPhOG™). This solid-state technology provides high-precision inertial navigation, serving as a reliable alternative when traditional satellite signals are unavailable. This latest award follows a series of defense-sector milestones for the company, including U.S. Navy Phase I and U.S. Army Phase II SBIR awards.
Dr. Mario Paniccia, CEO of ANELLO Photonics, commented, “This award marks an important step in bringing GPS-independent navigation to the forefront of operational autonomy. With the support of our Navy and Marine Corps partners, we’re accelerating the deployment of mission-ready technologies that redefine performance in GPS-denied environments.”
As a leader in photonic inertial navigation, ANELLO is positioned to provide validated solutions for mission-critical operations. The APFIT funding will specifically support the transition of these systems into active operational use, ensuring that autonomous and manned platforms can navigate effectively without reliance on external signals.
