Lockheed Martin says it is making good progress in the preliminary design review phase of the Air Force’s GPS Block III satellite program, or GPS III for short. According to a Lockheed release March 9, its industry team, which includes ITT and General Dynamics, has successfully completed 19 out of 71 PDRs for key GPS III spacecraft subsystems and assemblies, including antennas, solar arrays, power regulation unit, and attitude control assemblies. In May, the team plans to hold a PDR for the overall GPS III space segment to ensure the preliminary design meets warfighter and civil requirements. After that, the program will advance to its critical design review phase. Lockheed’s team is working under a $1.4 billion contract awarded last May. First launch of a Block III satellite is projected for 2014.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.