The Deal
Advanced Navigation signed a $26 million contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to supply Boreas inertial navigation systems for Poland's counter-drone platforms. The Sydney-based autonomy company will deliver hundreds of units for integration into Kongsberg's Protector C-UAS systems, part of a NOK16 billion ($2.41 billion) agreement between Kongsberg and Poland's Armaments Agency.
Boreas uses fiber-optic gyroscopes to maintain positioning when GPS is jammed or unavailable. This matters in drone warfare, where satellite navigation is routinely disrupted. The systems keep weapons platforms aligned and tracking aerial threats when traditional positioning fails.
What This Means for Sales Teams
This is Advanced Navigation's second multi-million dollar Kongsberg contract, suggesting repeatable enterprise motion in European defense. The company maintains structured commercial leadership: public listings show a Chief Revenue Officer, Head of Revenue Operations and Enablement, Head Sales, and regional commercial heads. That is enterprise GTM infrastructure, not founder-led selling.
For defense tech sales professionals, this deal demonstrates a few things. First, Australian defense tech can compete internationally when it solves real problems (GPS-denied navigation is a documented issue in modern conflict). Second, government support matters: the Australian Department of Defence's Global Supply Chain Program backed this contract. Third, Europe is accelerating defense procurement, creating territory expansion opportunities for companies with proven systems.
Company Context
Advanced Navigation operates with 188-257 employees across Sydney, Canberra, Botany, and Wickham. Funding history includes Series A (2019), Series B (2022), and Series C (March 2026), with the latest round including US$50 million from Australia's National Reconstruction Fund. Total capital raised sits between US$75-191 million depending on whether government grants are included.
Chris Shaw leads as CEO, with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as chairman. The company manufactures in Australia and exports globally across robotics, defense, aerospace, and industrial autonomy.
Defense Sales Context
Defense contractor sales typically involves longer cycles, complex procurement processes, and government relationships. Compensation in defense tech sales often includes base salaries 10-20% higher than commercial tech to offset longer deal cycles, with OTE structures reflecting multi-year contracts rather than monthly quotas. Federal salary negotiation differs from commercial tech: know your GS scale equivalents if selling to US government, understand framework agreements for European markets, and factor security clearance requirements into comp discussions.
Kongsberg partnership suggests Advanced Navigation has cracked the defense prime contractor channel, where margins compress but volume and contract stability increase. Worth watching for hiring activity as European defense budgets expand.