On Integrating Navigation Over Link-16 Tactical Radios with Minimal Modifications

Dan Shen, Genshe Chen, Khanh Pham

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	This paper presents a novel approach to integrating navigation and communication by incorporating P-codes into the Link-16 tactical data exchange system. The proposed method replaces the traditional scrambling sequence with GNSS-like PRN codes, enabling accurate ranging information while maintaining the integrity of the original Link-16 architecture. We explore the acquisition of P-codes using circular cross-correlation and a voting mechanism, demonstrating successful synchronization even in the presence of interference. Simulation results show that the integration does not degrade the communication performance, with BER curves remaining stable at desired error rates. The acquisition margin (AM) also indicates strong resilience to jamming, offering at least 6 dB of tolerance. This integration of navigation with Link-16 offers an efficient solution for simultaneous communication and positioning, particularly beneficial for military and civilian applications requiring both high data transmission and precise location tracking.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025) September 8 - 12, 2025 Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Baltimore, Maryland
Pages:	2648 - 2658
Cite this article:	Shen, Dan, Chen, Genshe, Pham, Khanh, "On Integrating Navigation Over Link-16 Tactical Radios with Minimal Modifications," Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025), Baltimore, Maryland, September 2025, pp. 2648-2658. https://doi.org/10.33012/2025.20431
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