Lockheed Martin Argues GPS Upgrades Will Counter Jamming Threats

United States - Ekhbary News Agency

Lockheed Martin Argues GPS Upgrades Will Counter Jamming Threats

Lockheed Martin is stepping up its advocacy that the U.S. military’s Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation is becoming increasingly resilient, even as military leaders publicly voice concerns about escalating jamming and spoofing threats. Concurrently, lawmakers are actively debating potential alternatives to current satellite-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems.

A pivotal element in this argument is the next generation of GPS satellites, known as GPS III Follow-On, or GPS IIIF. According to Malik Musawwir, vice president of navigation systems at Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the U.S. Space Force-operated GPS satellites, these upgrades represent a "game changer" in addressing interference challenges.

"Once we start introducing GPS IIIF satellites into the active constellation that we’re operating today, we believe that that will change the landscape dramatically," Musawwir stated on February 23 during a news conference in Aurora, Colorado, held at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Warfare Symposium. His remarks underscore the company's confidence in the technological advancements incorporated into the new satellite series.

These statements arrive at a time when GPS, long considered a foundational infrastructure for both military and civilian applications, is facing growing scrutiny regarding its vulnerability to disruption. Incidents of jamming and spoofing have become more prevalent, particularly in conflict zones and near sensitive geopolitical borders. This rise in interference has fueled calls for the development and deployment of complementary or alternative PNT solutions, including other satellite constellations and terrestrial-based systems.

The U.S. Space Force's current on-orbit modernization initiative primarily centers on the GPS III satellites. The service procured 10 such satellites, with nine already launched. These satellites are equipped to broadcast the M-code, an encrypted military GPS signal engineered to provide more secure and jam-resistant PNT capabilities. Driven by an urgent need to expand M-code coverage, the Space Force accelerated the launch schedules for satellites 7, 8, and 9, and notably shifted their launch providers from United Launch Alliance to SpaceX, highlighting the strategic importance and tempo of these upgrades.

The GPS IIIF program builds directly upon the foundation laid by GPS III. Under a contract awarded in 2018, which allows for the production of up to 22 spacecraft, the Space Force has exercised options for 12 satellites. This commitment has brought the total value of the contract to $4.1 billion, with the most recent satellites being priced at approximately $250 million each. Although the Pentagon did not include additional funding for GPS IIIF in its fiscal year 2026 budget request, Congress took action by allocating $528 million to procure two more satellites, demonstrating continued legislative support.

Musawwir confirmed that the 12 satellites currently on order are progressing through various stages of production. Similar to the GPS III satellites, the GPS IIIF series will transmit the M-code signal. Additionally, they will introduce novel operational features, although they will not incorporate new frequency bands beyond those already in use, focusing instead on enhancing existing capabilities.

The most significant advancement in the GPS IIIF series is the implementation of Regional Military Protection (RMP). While earlier GPS generations broadcast signals in a wide pattern across the visible Earth at moderate power levels, and GPS III increased that power, GPS IIIF takes it a step further. RMP enables the satellite to focus its encrypted M-code energy into a specific geographic region using a high-gain spot beam. By concentrating the signal's energy rather than broadcasting it universally, the satellite significantly boosts the effective signal strength for military users operating within that targeted theater. This enhanced signal strength necessitates that adversaries employ more powerful and proximate jammers to disrupt the service, thereby increasing the operational risk for potential aggressors.

"That will dramatically change the calculus of how close, for example, jammers will have to be to the people that are trying to jam, the signal strength necessary to be able to provide a jamming signal that could thwart a GPS signal," Musawwir explained. While acknowledging the uncertainties of future threats, he emphasized, "I wouldn’t pretend to have clear, crystal clarity to what the future may bring, but these new features will make a huge difference."

Beyond their core navigation functions, the GPS IIIF satellites will also be equipped with a search-and-rescue payload. This payload is designed to detect distress beacons from individuals in distress on land, at sea, or in the air, and relay their locations to rescue authorities, aiming to expedite response times and improve the chances of successful rescues.

In parallel with radio-frequency enhancements, Lockheed Martin and the Space Force are exploring the potential of optical communications. The tenth and final GPS III satellite will feature a Tesat-Spacecom SCOT80 optical terminal, intended for a demonstration of space-to-ground laser communications. This terminal is capable of supporting data rates up to approximately 100 gigabits per second, far exceeding current GPS requirements but laying groundwork for future capabilities.

"The idea is that this will lay the foundation for what future GPS to GPS, or perhaps GPS to other orbits in the constellations, could do with optical crosslink technology," Musawwir elaborated. Currently, the optical payload is a one-time experiment. The integration of laser terminals on future GPS IIIF satellites will hinge on government decisions and priorities regarding the advancement of constellation capabilities.

Should optical links be adopted more broadly, they could integrate with the satellites' fully digital navigation payloads. This integration promises greater flexibility in signal generation and on-orbit management, potentially enabling hardware-free upgrades and faster adaptation to evolving operational needs.

Ekhbary News Agency