GPS III Follow-On (GPS IIIF)

The Global Positioning System (GPS) Program Office established and maintains the technical baseline and is responsible for the successful fielding of all the GPS Segments (space, control, and user). In order to successfully execute these responsibilities, GPS Enterprise Integrator (EI) creates an enterprise architecture, integrates segment products, verifies the enterprise requirements are adequately met, develops and implements various Systems Engineering documents, defines methods of verification, conducts integrated system test and test analysis, develops and manages the Enterprise technical baseline which reflect multiple stakeholder requirements; stakeholders include the Department of War (DoW), foreign governments, industry, and the general public (through four public interface specifications). Furthermore, GPS EI ensures Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilities meet the warfighter's, civil agencies, commercial entities, international treaties, and over four billion global GPS users needs. Moreover, GPS EI is responsible for delivering a reliable PNT signal capability to military operators, the civil user community, and international partners. In addition, GPS EI validates the system performance in various mission threat scenarios during its development as well as provides in-depth technical expertise to enhance government control, oversight and program accountability. GPS EI is also responsible for all aspects of schedule and technical alignment across the GPS segments (space, control, and user equipment). In order to assist in achieving program milestones, GPS EI is responsible for technical baseline management, integration, synchronizing, testing, and verifying GPS III, GPS III Follow-on (IIIF), Operational Control System (OCS), Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX), Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment (Inc) 1 and Inc 2, and other PNT investment projects. Additionally, GPS EI is responsible for creating and managing plans that provide early exercise of the products under development, compatibility analysis, and inter-segment testing. The inter-segment tests are required to prove OCX interoperability with GPS III satellites and Modernized User Equipment. More importantly, it ensures backwards compatibility with legacy systems such as GPS Block II satellites, OCS, and legacy user equipment.

System Delta 831 is developing the Global Positioning System III Follow-on (GPS IIIF) (Project 653170) for Guardians across Position, Navigation, and Timing. As a result, the Service will improve readiness and operational reach of existing force structure. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based navigation system that fills validated Joint Service requirements for worldwide, accurate, common grid three-dimensional positioning/navigation for military aircraft, ships, and ground personnel. The consistent accuracy, unaffected by location or weather and available in real time, significantly improves effectiveness of reconnaissance, weapons delivery, mine countermeasures and rapid deployment for all services. GPS must comply with Title 10 United States Code (USC) Sec. 2281, which requires that the Secretary of Defense ensures the continued sustainment and operation of GPS for military and civilian purposes, and 51 USC Sec. 50112, which requires that GPS complies with certain standards and facilitates international cooperation. The system is composed of three segments: User Equipment (funded under Program Element (PE) 1203164F, 1203164SF), Space (funded under PE 1203165F, 1203265F, 1203265SF, 1203269F, and 1203269SF), and a Control Network (funded under PE 1206423F, 1206423SF and 1203165F). The satellites broadcast high accuracy data using precisely synchronized signals that are received and processed by user equipment installed in military platforms. The user equipment computes the platform position and velocity and provides steering vectors to target locations or navigation waypoints. The control segment provides daily updates to the navigation messages broadcast from the satellites to maintain system precision in three dimensions to 16 meters (spherical error probable) worldwide. Additionally, GPS supports the United States (US) Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) Detection System (USNDS) mission and provides strategic and tactical support to the following Department of War (DoW) missions: Joint Operations by providing capabilities for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT); Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I); Special Operations; Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT); Defense-Wide Mission Support (DWMS); Air Mobility; and Space Launch Orbital Support.