Lockheed Martin wins $105 million Space Force contract for GPS ground system upgrades

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract worth up to $105 million by the US Space Force to modernise and sustain the GPS ground control network. The agreement supports launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for GPS IIIF satellites, enhancing resiliency for military and civilian positioning, navigation, and timing services.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract worth up to $105 million by the US Space Force to continue modernising and sustaining the Global Positioning System ground control network, according to an official announcement. The contract expands on a decade of work under the Space Force's Architecture Evolution Plan, supporting launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for GPS IIIF space vehicles while enhancing capabilities and resiliency for military and civilian users.

Lockheed Martin is a global defence and aerospace technology company. The company has completed production of all GPS III satellites, which provide eight times greater resiliency and three times higher accuracy than legacy spacecraft, and is now producing GPS IIIF satellites at its Denver facility. These next-generation spacecraft will transmit an anti-jam signal 63 times more powerful than earlier models.

This development matters for the global positioning sector, where GPS underpins critical warfighting operations as well as daily functions including transportation, banking, and utilities. Launch capabilities provided under this contract will allow more M-Code-enabled GPS IIIF space vehicles to reach orbit, increasing signal resiliency for military users.

For the defence and space industry, the contract reflects sustained investment in GPS modernisation to ensure continuous service for national defence and commercial users. Stakeholders including military operators, civilian infrastructure providers, and global GPS users stand to benefit from improved resiliency and accuracy. The work builds on Lockheed Martin's decade-long role in evolving the GPS ground segment.