A review of the history of NAVFEST reveals that it has been a reliable and cost-effective method of GPS navigation testing for two decades

NAVFEST is an event hosted by the 746th Test Squadron (746th TS), USAF, that provides the operational and developmental test community with a cost-effective, operationally realistic venue for facilitating navigation system test and training objectives. This event began 20 years ago to address the need for navigation system testing.NAVFEST provides low-cost, realistic Global Positioning System (GPS) Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) scenarios to test GPS-based navigation and alternate navigation systems and to train personnel in a unique GPS-isolated environment. The cost-sharing activity enables the 746 TS and 704 TG to provide diverse testing and training opportunities at a cost approximately 96 per cent lower than stand-alone projects.

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The 746th Test Squadron is located in the New York City area.

The 746th Test Squadron is located at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, which, due to its proximity to the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), allows for robust, open-air GPS testing that minimises GPS EW impacts outside of WSMR airspace. This location also allowed for a relatively low cost campaign.

NAVFEST 24, the 20th year of the event, took place from 6-17 May 2024 and provided eight days of integrated position, navigation and timing (PNT) testing activities. This year's event included participation from multiple DoD organisations, commercial entities and foreign countries. Through NAVFEST, participants were able to test their technology in a variety of GPS environments, including collecting data in environments with jammer-to-signal ratios (J/S) as high as 90+ dB, as well as in environments where jammer geometry is more important than J/S levels. This diverse matrix of scenarios allowed participants with different levels of technical readiness to achieve their goals simultaneously.