Raytheon Wins $886 Million Contract to Develop Next-Generation GPS Control Segment — Press Release

Raytheon Wins $886 Million Contract to Develop Next-Generation GPS Control Segment

Program to improve security, accuracy and reliability of GPS satellites

AURORA, Colo., Feb. 26, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The U.S. Air Force has selected Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) for an initial contract of $886 million to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System to improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.

The contract represents the first two development blocks of the advanced control segment (OCX), which will have a significant impact on GPS capabilities. The OCX system will include anti-jam capabilities and improved security, accuracy and reliability and will be based on a modern service-oriented architecture to integrate government and industry open-system standards.

“We are excited to partner with the Air Force to provide the best-value GPS control system for the future,” said Lynn Dugle, president of Raytheon’s Intelligence and Information Systems business. “Raytheon’s broad experience in delivering satellite-to-ground command and control systems will ensure that our nation’s military and civil GPS users worldwide are provided new capabilities.”

The OCX will dramatically affect GPS command, control and mission capabilities and make it easier for the operations team to run the current GPS block II and all future GPS satellites.

“Raytheon is proud to deliver innovative technologies to help the Air Force meet its mission of protecting GPS operational services,” said Bob Canty, GPS OCX vice president and program manager for Raytheon. “The advanced control segment is a critical program for our nation’s combat forces, coalition partners, as well as domestic and international civil users. By selecting Raytheon, the Air Force recognizes our experience and commitment to take GPS to the next level.”

The GPS, a satellite-based radio navigation system for the military and the public, comprises three major segments: the user segment, the space segment, and the control segment, which includes a master control station and ground antennas.

“The OCX concept was created to separate the control and space segments,” Canty said. “Technologies were evolving so rapidly and were so critical to execution that specialized skills were needed. The GPS wing saw the same need for specialized expertise on GPS OCX.”

Raytheon brings more than four decades of experience in command and control systems for satellites to the OCX program. Teammates include The Boeing Company, ITT, Braxton Technologies, Infinity Systems Engineering and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The contract was awarded by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base.

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.

Source: Raytheon Company

Raytheon Wins $886 Million Contract to Develop Next-Generation GPS Control Segment

February 26, 2010 by Jeffrey Bradford · Comment
Filed under: Raytheon, Syndicated Industry News, space 
Raytheon Wins $886 Million Contract to Develop Next-Generation GPS Control Segment
February 26, 2010

Program to improve security, accuracy and reliability of GPS satellites

AURORA, Colo., -- The U.S. Air Force has selected Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) for an initial contract of $886 million to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System to improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.

The contract represents the first two development blocks of the advanced control segment (OCX), which will have a significant impact on GPS capabilities. The OCX system will include anti-jam capabilities and improved security, accuracy and reliability and will be based on a modern service-oriented architecture to integrate government and industry open-system standards.

"We are excited to partner with the Air Force to provide the best-value GPS control system for the future," said Lynn Dugle, president of Raytheon's Intelligence and Information Systems business. "Raytheon's broad experience in delivering satellite-to-ground command and control systems will ensure that our nation's military and civil GPS users worldwide are provided new capabilities."

The OCX will dramatically affect GPS command, control and mission capabilities and make it easier for the operations team to run the current GPS block II and all future GPS satellites.

"Raytheon is proud to deliver innovative technologies to help the Air Force meet its mission of protecting GPS operational services," said Bob Canty, GPS OCX vice president and program manager for Raytheon. "The advanced control segment is a critical program for our nation's combat forces, coalition partners, as well as domestic and international civil users. By selecting Raytheon, the Air Force recognizes our experience and commitment to take GPS to the next level."

The GPS, a satellite-based radio navigation system for the military and the public, comprises three major segments: the user segment, the space segment, and the control segment, which includes a master control station and ground antennas.

"The OCX concept was created to separate the control and space segments," Canty said. "Technologies were evolving so rapidly and were so critical to execution that specialized skills were needed. The GPS wing saw the same need for specialized expertise on GPS OCX."

Raytheon brings more than four decades of experience in command and control systems for satellites to the OCX program. Teammates include The Boeing Company, ITT, Braxton Technologies, Infinity Systems Engineering and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The contract was awarded by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base.

Note to Editors:

Raytheon will hold a GPS OCX press conference webcast at 11 a.m. EST Feb. 26. For more information about Raytheon's GPS OCX program, visit www.raytheon.com/gpsocx.

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U.S. Air Force Continues To Buy Paveway Guidance Systems

The Paveway is a kit that converts an iron bomb into a laser guided one. They are not powered but use aerodynamic controls and a sensor kit to guide the bomb to where a laser is pointing. This laser may be ground or air based. With the development of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) GPS guided system laser bombs have been used less but Paveways are still being produced and available for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Raytheon was awarded a contract last week to build another 750 kits to convert bombs with the Paveway kit. This is the full amount of the contract so it may be this will see the winding down of production. JDAM have the advantage of not requiring a designator as the coordinates are loaded into the weapon and by using GPS satellites it guides itself to them.

Boeing Ships Next-Generation GPS Satellite to Cape Canaveral for Tests — Press Release

Boeing Ships Next-Generation GPS Satellite to Cape Canaveral for Tests

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 25, 2009 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has shipped a Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to conduct a series of key tests for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation satellite navigation system.

Built at Boeing’s El Segundo satellite factory, Space Vehicle 2 (SV-2) is undergoing ground testing to prepare for the launch of SV-1, the first of 12 GPS IIF satellites. SV-2 arrived at Cape Canaveral May 7 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. SV-2 is being used to execute a consolidated system test (CST), which is a set of one-time, system-level design validation tests involving the
space vehicle, the ground-based control segment, and user equipment. SV-2 is also being used as a “pathfinder” to validate satellite transportation processes and equipment, and to validate the launch site test program, procedures and equipment. After completion of the CST and pathfinder activities, SV-2 will return to El Segundo to prepare for its own launch from the Cape.

“The shipment of this pathfinder satellite keeps GPS IIF on track for its first launch, and continues Boeing’s long, successful history of building GPS satellites for the U.S. Air Force,” said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. “The GPS IIF system will bring more capability and improved mission performance to the GPS constellation.”

GPS IIF is the product of Boeing’s experience with 39 successful satellites from the GPS Block I and Block II/IIA missions and more than 30 years of teamwork with the Air Force. GPS IIF features twice the navigational accuracy of heritage satellites, more robust signals for commercial aviation and search and rescue, and greater resistance to jamming in hostile environments. It will form the core of the constellation for many years to come.

GPS is a space-based, worldwide navigation system providing users with highly accurate, three-dimensional position, velocity and timing information 24 hours a day in all weather conditions. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

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Contact:

Marc Selinger
Space & Intelligence Systems
703-414-6138
marc.selinger@boeing.com

Diana Ball
Space & Intelligence Systems
562-797-4303
diana.ball@boeing.com

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