U.S. Space Force upgrades GPS ground-control systems to help them use new encrypted, anti-jam, signals
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Space Force has completed upgrades to the Global Position System (GPS) ground segment that will give the system access to a new military GPS signal known as M-code. C4ISRnet reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
27 Aug. 2020 -- While the new anti-spoofing, anti-jamming, encrypted M-code signal has been available on many GPS satellites for years, the military has not had the corresponding ground and user equipment to access and leverage it.
The $6.2 billion Next-Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, being built by Raytheon Technologies for that purpose is five years behind schedule and isn’t expected to be delivered until June 2021.
To provide access for war fighters in the interim, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a contingency operations contract in 2016 to build an M-code upgrade to the current GPS Operational Control System.
Related: Air Force asks Raytheon to provide trusted computing to GPS with secure ASIC components
Related: Raytheon hardening SDB II smart munitions against electromagnetic jamming and cyber attack
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
