L-3 Interstate Electronics Corp. recently was awarded the first-ever full security certification for the next-generation Military GPS User Equipment. The milestone is “proof that this ground-breaking technology is ready to provide the secure anti-jam, anti-spoof capability demanded by our warfighters,” said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, head of the Space and Missile Systems Center. It also means the Defense Department is one step closer to being able to provide the Military Code, or M-Code, capability. “MGUE receivers acquire and process M-Code signals transmitted from modernized GPS satellites while retaining all legacy capabilities provided by current military GPS receivers,” states the release. “The M-Code signal offers a number of improvements to receiver performance, including higher-power signal capability offering better resistance to jamming and interference; advanced security features to prevent unauthorized access or exploitation by adversaries; and improved messages formats and signal modulation techniques for more accurate and resilient performance.” Beginning in Fiscal 2018, the Defense Department will only be permitted per congressional mandate to purchase M-Code capable receivers, states the release.
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.
