Illustration of a GPS IIIF satellite in orbit. Credit: Lockheed Martin WASHINGTON– A brand-new U.S. federal government report highlights blended development in the modernization of the Global Positioning System (GPS), mentioning improvements in satellite and ground devices upgrades along with consistent hold-ups in some locations. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, launched Sept. 9, exposes that the Space Force is coming to grips with technical difficulties in next-generation GPS satellites and ground systems. These difficulties have actually worn down schedule margins, possibly pressing back the shipment of 24 M-code-capable satellites important for military operations through the 2030s. M-code, a more safe and jam-resistant signal, is main to the modernization efforts. The ground control sector called OCX, while accomplishing some essential screening turning points, still needs more examination before military approval. The forecasted approval date is now set for December 2025. The report likewise flags threats in the advancement of user devices, consisting of microchips and cards that process M-code signals. The very first increment of user devices is approaching last tests, recently found shortages threaten to interfere with the timeline. The Department of Defense is in addition working to resolve prospective lacks of GPS chips and cards. Lockheed Martin, the prime professional for the next-generation GPS IIIF satellites, is dealing with producing troubles with an important part, the Linearized Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier, the report states. This element is necessary for making it possible for a high-powered, steerable M-code signal. To alleviate these difficulties, Lockheed Martin has actually farmed out the building and construction of amplifiers from the 3rd GPS IIIF satellite onward. The OCX program, led by Raytheon, finished a credentials test for Blocks 1 and 2 in December 2023. A number of test occasions stay before the system can be accepted for functional usage. The associated OCX Block 3F program has actually made development in software application advancement, however continuous hold-ups with earlier blocks have actually made complex efforts. This yearly evaluation– mandated by Congress in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act– needs GAO to examine the expense, schedule, and efficiency of GPS acquisition programs. The report highlights the intricacy and continuous difficulties in improving this crucial worldwide navigation facilities. Sandra Erwin blogs about military area programs, policy, innovation and the market that supports this sector. She has actually covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense market for almost twenty years as editor of NDIA’s National Defense … More by Sandra Erwin
U.S. GPS modernization deals with hold-ups, technical obstacles: GAO report
