Lockheed Martin has secured $114 million in US Space Force task orders to upgrade the ground infrastructure that will operate the next generation of GPS satellites.
The two awards cover the GPS IIIF Contingency Operations System and the first phase of the Architecture Evolution Plan x86 technology refresh.
A $96-million task order will upgrade the existing GPS ground system so it can control GPS IIIF satellites. The work will support contingency operations and allow the current ground infrastructure to operate the newer spacecraft.
Another $17.5-million task order launches the first of three phases to refresh GPS ground hardware and software. Lockheed Martin said the work will use a modular approach designed to improve the system’s reliability and resilience.
The awards build on Lockheed Martin’s work under the Space Force’s GPS Control Segment Sustainment II contract. In April, the company also received a $105-million contract to provide ground support for GPS IIIF launches, early-orbit operations, and satellite disposal.
Why GPS Ground Infrastructure Matters
GPS depends on more than satellites in orbit. Ground systems monitor and control the constellation, upload commands and navigation data, and help maintain the positioning, navigation, and timing services used by military and civilian users.
Modernizing that infrastructure is increasingly important as GPS faces threats including jamming and other efforts to disrupt satellite-based navigation.
GPS IIIF satellites are designed to improve the resilience of the constellation. They will carry the M-Code signal, which provides US military users with greater protection against jamming and other interference.
Lockheed Martin said the upgraded ground systems will support the deployment of more M-Code-enabled GPS IIIF spacecraft while maintaining GPS services for civilian users in areas such as transportation, financial systems, telecommunications, and utilities.
The work comes as the GPS program moves from the GPS III generation toward the newer IIIF spacecraft. Lockheed Martin launched the final GPS III satellite in April and is now manufacturing GPS IIIF satellites, which the company says will deliver improved accuracy and substantially greater resilience than legacy spacecraft.
