Lockheed to build more GPS III satellites

Lockheed Martin has been awarded $395 million in contract options by the US Air Force (USAF) for the production of the ninth and tenth Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellites, the company announced on 28 September.

The contract includes funding for both long-lead items and full production for the next two space vehicles in the USAF’s next-generation GPS III constellation. 

GPS III satellites will provide eight times greater anti-jamming capabilities, three times better accuracy, and extend spacecraft life to 15 years.

The new L1C civil signal featured in GPS III will enable interoperability with other international global navigation satellite systems. 

Lockheed Martin holds the contract to produce the first eight GPS III satellites. The team is currently carrying out the final testing and integration activities on the first GPS III satellite, GPS III SV01, and plans to deliver it to the USAF later in 2016. The second satellite is nearing its environmental testing phase, while the major subcomponents of the third satellite are currently being assembled.