Lockheed Martin received the delivery contract of new generation of GPS satellites for $7 billion

In September, 2018 the American military-industrial corporation Lockheed Martin specializing in the field of aircraft industry, the aerospace equipment, shipbuilding, automation of postal services and airport infrastructure and logistics received the large contract for production of new satellites for the GPS navigation system.

On terms of agreement, the United States Air Force will buy from Lockheed Martin 22 GPS satellites of third generation for $7.2 billion therefore the quantity of such systems ordered the companies will grow to the 32nd. However, any of them by September, 2018 is not started.

Lockheed Martin received the delivery contract of new generation of GPS satellites for $7 billion

The start of the first of satellites of new generation which is originally planned for April, 2014 repeatedly was postponed. By September, 2018 terms of start are set for December.

Lockheed was the only applicant for production of the GPS III satellites. The American Air Force which was dissatisfied with a four-year delay with start of satellites because of Lockheed decided to involve several producers. But Boeing and Northrop Grumman refused to participate in tender.

Besides, Bloomberg reminds that the cost of the satellite program which is executed by Lockheed grew by $600 million because of technical issues which were mainly connected with navigation payload. By September, 2018 these problems, most likely, were solved, notes news agency.

Are known as   GPS 3 Follow-On (GPS 3F) satellites will differ in the enhanced accuracy and  resistance to  muffling that will make the system of global positioning of more reliable.^[1]

The U.S. Air Force reported to Bloomberg that the delay with start of satellites is connected with "qualification tests" and need of approval of the Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket of SpaceX company as the satellite delivery system into an orbit. As the sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces Space troops are still not approved by the U. S. Congress.

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