By Marina Malenic
The Air Force’s Global Positioning System (GPS) program has been given the green light by the Pentagon to begin production on the next set of satellites for the constellation.
GPS IIIA last month received Milestone C approval, as well as authorization to initiate long-lead parts procurement for the first two production satellites, according to the Air Force. The service also announced a $74 million contract with prime contractor Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Dec. 23, exercising the government’s option to initiate long-lead parts procurement for the third and fourth GPS IIIA space vehicles.
ITT [ITT] is making the satellites’ navigation payloads and General Dynamics [GD] is providing their Network Communications Elements.
On May 15, 2008, the U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.46 billion contract to build the first two GPS IIIA satellites, with options for up to 10 additional spacecraft. A total of eight GPS IIIA satellites is now expected be built, with first delivery scheduled for mid-2014.
GPS III is designed to improve position, navigation and timing services and provide advanced anti-jam capabilities yielding superior system security, accuracy and reliability, according to the Air Force. The first in a planned three phases, IIIA is expected to deliver signals three times more accurate than current GPS spacecraft and provide three times more power for military users, while also enhancing the spacecraft’s design life and adding a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with international global navigation satellite systems.
The Air Force is also currently planning for eight GPS IIIB and 16 GPS IIIC satellites. The GPS constellation currently consists of 31 operational satellites.
This year’s annual GPS enterprise review, conducted Dec. 17, focused on major acquisition milestones for each of the GPS program’s three segments, according to officials at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. The GPS Block IIIA space vehicle program was cleared to enter production, while the Modernized GPS User Equipment program is awaiting authorization to begin technology development following a detailed OSD review of the strategy over the next month.
The Next-Generation Operational Control Segment (OCX) is on target for entry into its engineering and manufacturing development phase following the program’s Preliminary Design Review scheduled for late spring 2011, according to Air Force officials.
“I am extremely pleased with the outcome of the [review], the support of the senior decision makers and most of all my team of dedicated professionals,” said Col. Bernard Gruber, the GPS program manager. “The modernized capabilities coming on board will support the warfighter and the world for years to come.”
Meanwhile, officials with the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colo., have completed their sustainment software release for the GPS OCX ground system ahead of schedule, they said in a press statement. The software release, which was scheduled to be complete this month, was accomplished Dec. 8.
“The sustainment initiative was a great success and transparent to GPS users worldwide,” said Col. Harold Martin, the chief of the Positioning, Navigation and Timing Division of Air Force Space Command’s Directorate of Requirements.