Raytheon,
El Segundo CA: Raytheon announced Thursday it has won an initial $38-million contract from the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's Global Positioning System Joint Program Office to design next-generation GPS receivers.
An additional award to complete development and fabricate pre-production receiver cards for test and integration in host systems could follow, the company said in a news release.
Under the Air Force's Modernized User Equipment program, the circuit-card technology will connect military users with new GPS navigation signals that will be compatible with the enhanced NAVSTAR GPS satellites.
The receivers, which will employ the robust new M-code military signal, also will work with legacy signal systems, the release said.
“The MUE program represents an opportunity to raise the capability of military GPS equipment while lowering the cost for the warfighter,” said Phil Kelton, MUE program manager for Raytheon's GPS and navigation systems business.
“Working with our teammates General Dynamics and Trimble Navigation Systems, MUE will benefit from breakthroughs in microelectronics technology, coupled with advanced security solutions to enable higher performance and greater integrity at less cost than today's systems,” Kelton added.
“This technology development will strengthen and preserve the secure GPS navigation capability that is a key enabler for the United States and its allies in all missions,” said Ralph Garcia, the company's director of GPS and navigation systems. “It will also provide a path for higher performance, extreme accuracy, and modular upgrades of Raytheon's avionics, weapons, and integrated sensor systems.”
