Simulating signal threats with Safran Electronics & Defense

In universities across the world, theory lays the foundation, but in the field, realism builds true expertise.  

For students studying GNSS engineering, textbooks and simulations alone are no longer enough. Tomorrow’s engineers need to use the same applications and work with the same complex environments that professionals face in the real world. This means using tools that generate actual RF signals, not just software abstractions — tools that recreate urban canyons, interference, jamming, spoofing and satellite dynamics with precision. 

Safran has established the Minerva Academic Partnership Program, an initiative that brings its Skydel GNSS Simulation Engine to qualified educational institutions worldwide. 

A Modern, Software-Defined Approach to GNSS Simulation

At the heart of this initiative is the Skydel simulation engine, a software-defined GNSS simulator. Built to leverage commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, Skydel eliminates the need for proprietary hardware. It delivers the full spectrum of satellite constellations — as well as LEO ones — and frequency bands. By integrating Skydel in their projects, researchers now have the tools to pursue ambitious ideas with confidence, such as:

■ Designing and testing custom signals or constellations not yet in existence

■ Simulating real-world scenarios that can include both environmental and man-made interference

■ Integrating and testing additional sensors and platforms through open-source plug-ins and hardware-in-the-loop setups

■ Conducting rigorous resiliency testing against jamming and spoofing in a controlled, repeatable environment without real-world risk

■ Building their own simulator with existing hardware components around Skydel

Empowering the Next Generation of PNT Innovators

Through the Minerva program, Safran provides full-feature Skydel licenses for faculty and student use, creating an environment where learning and innovation thrive. This initiative not only eliminates the barrier to entry but also fosters collaboration between academia and industry –— fueling a new wave of GNSS advancements.

A Global Initiative

Today, Minerva includes more than 80 member institutions and boasts a growing portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

“This momentum highlights the real-world impact of the program and its role in driving local research excellence and fostering a vibrant, collaborative international GNSS community,” said Pierre-Marie Leveel, program director of PNT simulation at Safran Electronics & Defense. “Safran Electronics & Defense’s Minerva program is more than just a software — it’s a mission to democratize GNSS simulation and nurture the next generation of PNT researchers. As innovation becomes more critical to national sovereignty, transportation, and space exploration, empowering students and researchers has never been more vital.” 

Elevating GNSS Simulation

The evolution of Safran Electronics & Defense’s GNSS simulators — across both software and hardware — has been shaped by the growing demands of users and the broader market.

“The demand for multi-vehicle and multi-antenna scenarios has never been higher, and the same can be said for interference simulation,” said Pierre-Marie Le Veel, program director of PNT Simulation at Safran Electronics & Defense.

To address these challenges, Safran’s GSG-7 and GSG-8 Gen2 simulators are engineered to handle a range of applications, from basic to advanced GNSS jamming and spoofing resiliency testing.

The GSG-7 simulator is designed for location-aware applications and systems that depend on navigation or timing. With high-end performance — featuring a 1,000 Hz simulation iteration rate, high dynamics, real-time synchronization, and all-in-view satellite signal simulation — the GSG-7 is well-suited for development and integration projects that demand high performance and extensive constellation licensing. It supports multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS simulations and can be configured to operate with all current and upcoming GNSS signals.

Meanwhile, the GSG-8 Gen2 is the latest iteration of Safran’s GSG-8 model, offering flexible simulation capabilities for any device that relies on GNSS signals. Built on Safran’s Skydel-based simulation platform, the GSG-8 Gen2 helps users model scenarios.

Powered by high-end GPUs, the GSG-8 Gen2 offers reliable and precise GNSS signal testing. It can simulate thousands of signals, run multiple instances at once, and introduce jamming and spoofing to evaluate system resilience. The turnkey system features a redesigned chassis for greater connectivity, including six front-facing, high-quality RF outputs, a combined output covering the full GNSS bandwidth, and the same high-end simulation iteration rate as the GSG-7. This allows users to quickly get up and running with complex simulation requirements.

“The market is also demanding realism,” Le Veel said.

All Safran simulators are powered by the Skydel Simulation Engine, which is updated quarterly. Each release introduces new features, signals, and enhancements, enabling more authentic simulations and offering the flexibility to create virtually any GNSS testing scenario.

Staying Ahead of Market Changes and Signal Threats

The recent increase in signal interference threats has driven the demand for enhanced positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) resilience, leading to the broader use of both conducted and over-the-air (OTA) testing. The anticipated deregulation of controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) technology also is expected to open the door for civilian markets to perform testing.

“Throughout the past few years, Safran Electronics & Defense has massively revamped our approach to the Wavefront platform and now offers the GSG-Wavefront for those testing CRPA antennas against jamming and spoofing threats,” Veel said.

The ability to safeguard GNSS networks from jamming and spoofing attacks has never been more vital. Achieving this level of resilience calls for a GNSS simulator that can generate dedicated RF signals for evaluating the effectiveness of CRPA architectures.

Safran’s GSG-Wavefront, featuring a shared local oscillator (LO) design, stands out as a field-proven, off-the-shelf solution for CRPA receiver testing. It has a customizable platform that offers upgradable options powered by Skydel — the company’s GNSS simulation engine.

Le Veel added, “We are working hard to keep up with demand in both the defense and civilian markets.”
In addition, Le Veel noted that Safran’s GSG-Anechoic is attracting attention from users who work with anechoic chambers, thanks to its multiple, independent RF outputs, automatic antenna mapping, and built-in calibration features for delay and power loss.

Safran Electronics & Defense supports a wide array of users in both the civilian and defense sectors, spanning aerospace, critical infrastructure and transportation. In recent years, however, the company has seen its fastest growth in the New Space market. Safran’s simulators are used in a range of cutting-edge applications, including satellite navigation, low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellations, and rocket launch and landing systems.

“We are proud that the flexible tools and features we have included in Skydel are being used in these incredibly robust applications,” La Veel said.

A challenge for most GNSS simulation suppliers is ensuring compatibility and coherence with a wide range of GNSS receivers. La Veel shared that Safran Electronics & Defense is in a unique position, as it also designs and manufactures its own receivers, such as the newly released Skylight.

“Additional challenges can arise when developing new signals or constellations, such as the newest LEO ones, said La Veel. “Our close partnerships with both Xona Space Systems and TrustPoint have allowed us to overcome these challenges.”

A single GSG-8 Gen2 simulator from Safran Electronics & Defense can generate more than 2,000 signals without the need for additional hardware. This capability is essential when modeling legacy signals, multipath effects, jamming and spoofing scenarios, or even LEO-constellations.

Safran simulators support all legacy signals, including GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, GLONASS, NavIC, QZSS and SBAS, across all bands and security features such as M-code, PRS and Galileo OSNMA. The systems also offer compatibility with emerging LEO constellations, including Xona’s PULSAR X1 and X5, as well as TrustPoint. Custom Signals and Custom Constellation features offer users the flexibility to create entirely new signals and satellite constellations, or to modify existing configurations.

“It is de rigueur these days for companies to claim or incorporate AI into their solutions. In addition to using AI for tropospheric modeling based on real-world data, Safran Electronics & Defense has also taken a different approach to using AI in GNSS simulation,” Le Veel said.

He added that the company’s upcoming demonstration at ION GNSS+ 2025 will reveal Skydel AI, a new tool designed to make scenario creation and parameter setting as simple as writing an email. “The amount of people who can easily now test their prototypes, products or systems will dramatically increase as the steep curve to learn GNSS simulation is flattened.”