FAIRFAX, Va. -

GeneralDynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), was recently awarded a $26 million contract from Lockheed Martin to support the U.S. Air Force Global Positioning System(GPS) III  Network CommunicationsElement (NCE). The Air Force's next-generation GPS III satellites willimprove position, navigation and timing services and provide advanced anti-jamcapabilities yielding superior system security, accuracy and reliability.'We bring more than a half-century of experience in the spacecraftcommunications and navigation domain to this program,' said Kirstan Rock, vicepresident and general manager of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanceat General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. 'We look forward tocontinuing working with Lockheed Martin to deliver high-quality, reliable andaffordable solutions to the Air Force to advance their mission.

 

'General Dynamics is already under contract with Lockheed Martin toproduce the NCE for the first four GPS III space vehicles (SV01-SV04), as wellas for the procurement of long lead material for the second set of four spacevehicles (SV05-SV08). This follow-on contract provides General Dynamics withthe funding to complete the NCE for SV05 and SV06. General Dynamics' NCEcomponents provide the communications functions for the GPS III satellites,including the ground-to-space command and control channel, the space-to-spaceinter-satellite channel and the command and telemetry communications channelswithin each satellite. NCE components have been delivered for SV01 and SV02.

 

The NCEs for SV03 and SV04 are scheduled for delivery by June 2014. GPS III is acritically important program for the U.S. Air Force, affordably replacing theaging constellation of GPS satellites currently in orbit. Compared to prior GPSvehicles, GPS III satellites will deliver three times better accuracy, provideup to eight times more powerful anti-jamming capabilities and includeenhancements that extend spacecraft life 25 percent further. GPS III-seriessatellites also will carry a new civil signal designed to be interoperable withother international global navigation satellite systems, enhancing civilianuser connectivity.For more information about General Dynamics Advanced InformationSystems, please visit www.gd-ais.com. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.generaldynamics.com.