Lockheed Martin awarded $395 million in contract options to produce more GPS III satellites

Lockheed Martin will continue its work with the U.S. Air Force on Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellites following the announcement of $395 million in contract options for the company to produce the ninth and 10th satellites in the program.
 
"Lockheed Martin is proud to be working with the Air Force to bring GPS III's tremendous new capabilities to the men and women in our armed forces, as well as to the world," Lockheed Martin Navigation Systems Mission Area Vice President Mark Stewart said. "Our industry team, comprising more than 250 aerospace companies across 29 states, is committed to making GPS III a reality."
 
GPS III satellites have a lifespan of 15 years, a 25 percent increase on current GPS satellites, and are three times more accurate and up to eight times better at preventing jamming. The satellites will also be interoperable with other international global navigation satellite systems, a first in their category.
 
Through its contract with the U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin is already producing the first eight GPS III satellites at its GPS III Processing Facility near Denver, Colorado, with GPS III SVO1 in the final testing and integration stages.

The recently announced contract options funding will go toward long-lead items and full production of the ninth and 10th satellites.