Introduction

Modern societies are deeply reliant on PNT services, yet this dependency is often poorly understood at the institutional level, and indeed all levels of organisations. PNT systems provide the foundational timing and positioning data that enable the seamless operation of critical infrastructure. For example, GNSS signals synchronise power grids, navigate aircraft, ships, trains, and even guide autonomous vehicles in transport networks, ensures accurate timestamping in financial transactions, and supports military operations through precise navigation and guidance.

Disruptions to these systems can have catastrophic consequences. A GNSS outage in the transport sector could impact safety, delay logistics, disrupt supply chains and cause ripple effects in manufacturing and retail. In the financial sector, a timing anomaly could lead to discrepancies in high-frequency trading, resulting in millions of pounds in losses within seconds. In the energy sector, a failure in timing synchronisation could cause grid instability, leading to widespread blackouts with severe economic and social impacts.

Situational Awareness Model

Situational awareness (SA) can be defined as:

"The perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future."

The Three Stages of Situational Awareness

Stage	Description	Key Characteristics
Level 1: Perception	Detecting and perceiving critical environmental elements and events.	Gathering raw data (e.g., sights, sounds, alerts). Noticing cues and stimuli. Dependent on attention and sensory input.
Level 2: Comprehension	Interpreting and understanding the meaning of perceived information in context.	Integrating data with prior knowledge. Assessing relevance to goals. Forming a mental model of the situation.
Level 3: Projection	Anticipating future states and outcomes based on current understanding.	Predicting future events or system states. Supporting decision-making. Requires expertise and experience.

Despite the critical role of PNT systems, many public and private institutions lack a comprehensive understanding of their dependencies on these technologies. This gap in awareness contributes to insufficient prioritisation and investment in resilience measures, poor coordination among stakeholders, and a lack of preparedness for potential disruptions.