Lockheed Martin has secured two additional task orders worth a combined $114 million from the US Space Force to modernize the ground segment of the Global Positioning System (GPS), strengthening the resilience, security and reliability of the GPS enterprise for military and civilian users. The task orders support the GPS IIIF Contingency Operations System and the Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP) x86 Phase 1. The new work builds on Lockheed Martin’s longstanding role in sustaining and modernizing GPS ground capabilities under the Space Force’s GPS Control Segment Sustainment (GCS II) contract.
Under the $96 million task order for the GPS IIIF Contingency Operations System, Lockheed Martin will upgrade the existing GPS ground system to control the GPS IIIF payload and enable operations with next-generation GPS IIIF satellites. A second task order, valued at $17.5 million, covers AEP x86 Phase 1. The work marks the beginning of a three-phase technology refresh covering GPS ground hardware and software. Through a modular approach to the ground system, the programme is designed to strengthen system resilience and reliability while supporting future operational requirements.
“Over the past decade, Lockheed Martin has consistently delivered and sustained operational GPS ground capability, evolving the system to meet the most demanding warfighter and commercial requirements,” said Christina Mancinelli, vice president of Global Communications & Navigation at Lockheed Martin. “This follow-on work underscores our unwavering commitment to rapidly provide a reliable, secure GPS enterprise that serves America’s defense and everyday users around the globe.”
The ground segment upgrades will support deployment of additional M-Code-enabled GPS IIIF spacecraft. M-Code provides enhanced anti-jamming capability and signal resilience for military users, while GPS continues to provide positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services to civilian applications, including transportation, finance, telecommunications and utility management.
The latest awards follow Lockheed Martin’s receipt of a $105 million contract in April for the Contingency Launch Operations System for GPS IIIF. That programme provides ground support for GPS IIIF launch, early-orbit and disposal operations, supporting rapid satellite integration and operational readiness.
The new contracts also follow the launch of the final GPS III satellite in April 2026. Lockheed Martin is currently manufacturing GPS IIIF satellites, which are designed to deliver improved accuracy and 63-times greater resiliency compared with legacy satellites.
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company focused on advancing innovation, scientific discovery and mission capabilities. Through its all-domain solutions and 21st Century Security® vision, the company develops and delivers transformative technologies designed to help customers address evolving security challenges and maintain mission readiness.
