Global Positioning System III - Operational Control Segment

Mission — Global Positioning System III - Operational Control Segment source

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) distribution system which operates through all weather. GPS supports both civil and military users in air, space, sea and land operations. GPS is a satellite-based radio navigation system that serves military and civil users worldwide. GPS users process satellite signals to determine accurate position, velocity and time. GPS must comply with Title 10 United States Code (USC) Sec 2281 which requires that the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) 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. GPS also includes the Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) Detection System (NDS). The Government is responsible for the integration of the GPS Segments such that they provide worldwide GPS capability to support the warfighter and over four billion national security, civil, Allied, and commercial GPS users. Program Element (PE) 1206423SF funds Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) for the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX), which includes OCX Blocks 0, 1, and 2, and the upgrade to OCX called OCX Block 3F (OCX 3F), which incorporates Regional Military Protection (RMP) and command and control functionality for GPS III Follow-on (GPS IIIF) satellites. OCX acquisition was established to 1) provide command and control of legacy and GPS III satellites, 2) incorporate situational awareness to support Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) and signal monitoring, 3) enable mission capability upgrades to support a warfighter effects-based approach to operations, and 4) integrate Department of Defense (DoD) information assurance and cybersecurity controls and capabilities. OCX 3F will upgrade OCX to provide RMP, a high-powered military signal which strengthens U.S. and allied forces' GPS resiliency in contested on tested environments to mitigate future jamming threats. OCX 3F also provides the ability to rapidly reconfigure GPS IIIF satellites to create time-critical warfighter effects. OCX and OCX 3F funds support efforts such as engineering studies and analyses, architectural engineering studies, trade studies, technology needs forecasting, modernization initiatives, systems engineering, system development, resolving obsolescence issues, test and evaluation efforts, pre-operational support activities, and interim contractor support. These activities support upgrades and product improvements for military and civil applications necessary to enable efforts to protect the United States Military and Allies' use of GPS. Additionally, funds ensure OCX and OCX Block 3F efforts meet Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) approved required capabilities. OCX Block 1 and 2 primary development concludes at system acceptance executed via DoD Form DD 250 (planned for 3rd Quarter FY 2025). Pre-Operational Support (pre-ops acceptance) and Interim Contractor Support (ICS) (post-ops acceptance) is the final contract phase that completes development, achieves the program's final Acquisition Program Baseline (APB) milestone Ready to Transition to Operations (RTO), supports Operational Acceptance (OA), and transitions OCX to long-term sustainment. Specifically, Interim Contract Support (ICS) provides contractor support services to sustain and provide capability insertions, maintain system performance requirements, and participate in government led events such as maintenance, integrated supply support, security, and launch activities. ⁠Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) funded government activities include Development Test and Evaluation (DT&E), GPS Constellation Transfer (CTX), Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E), and OA. Upon completion of those activities, OCX will prepare for, and transition to O&M funded Contractor Logistics Support (CLS). In FY 2024, the contractor conducted ICS proposal activities and the definitized contract was awarded in May 2025. OCX 3F, which achieved Milestone B May 2022, is required to launch and operationally command and control GPS IIIF space vehicles. OCX 3F will upgrade OCX with new capabilities to synchronize with GPS IIIF Space Segment and Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 2 capabilities. This includes master control station development, GPS system simulator modification, launch and mission planning development, training simulators, integrated logistics support products, test resources, systems engineering required to meet the Government's obligations to the international, military and civil communities, and system requirements verification. OCX 3F will maintain backward compatibility to support the legacy constellation develop solutions necessary to command, control and monitor GPS IIIF, to include integration of RMP (Regional Military Protection) high power regional M-code signals, rapid warfighter effects and support to GPS auxiliary payloads. This PE may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver OCX and OCX 3F weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in PEs 1206392SF and 1206398SF. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Mission — OCX source

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space based Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) distribution system which operates through all weather. This project funds the research and development for the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX). This includes, but is not limited to: advanced concept development, systems engineering and analysis, modernized control segment and mission planning development, modernization/deployment of 17 monitor stations, training simulators, integrated logistics support products, and test resources. OCX acquisition was established to: 1) provide command and control of legacy and GPS III satellites; 2) incorporate situational awareness to support Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) and signal monitoring; 3) enable mission capability upgrades to support a warfighter effects-based approach to operations; and 4) integrate DoD information assurance and cybersecurity controls and capabilities. OCX funds will support efforts such as engineering studies and analyses, architectural engineering studies, trade studies, technology needs forecasting, technology development, systems engineering, system development, test and evaluation efforts, pre-operational support activities, and interim contractor support, in support of upgrades and product improvements for military and civil applications necessary to support efforts to protect the United States military and Allies' use of GPS. Additionally, funds will ensure efforts to meet Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) approved required capabilities. OCX Block 0 is the Launch and Checkout System (LCS) intended to conduct Launch and Early Orbit (LEO) operations and the on-orbit checkout of all GPS III satellites. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS) can also call upon OCX Block 0 capabilities at any time to support GPS III anomaly resolution activities. OCX Block 0 is a subset of OCX Block 1. OCX Block 1 fields the operational capability to control all legacy satellites, the legacy civil signal (L1C/A), the legacy military signals (L1P(Y), L2P(Y)) as well as the GPS III satellites and the modernized civil signal (L2C) and the aviation safety-of-flight signal (L5). In addition, Block 1 will field the basic operational capability to control the modernized military signals (L1M and L2M M-Code), and the globally compatible signal (L1C). It also fully meets information assurance/cyber defense requirements. OCX Block 2 fields the advanced operational capability to control the advanced features of the modernized military signals (L1M and L2M M-Code). Blocks 1 & 2 are being delivered concurrently as a result of the Oct 2016 Nunn-McCurdy review. The $76.2M Above Threshold Reprogramming for FY24 is not reflected in the R-Doc. Funds are being used for Interim Contractor Support (ICS) and for continued Deficiency Report (DR) burndown.

Mission — OCX Block 3F source

OCX Block 3 Follow-on (OCX 3F) will modify OCX Command and Control (C2) for new Global Positioning System (GPS) III Follow-On (GPS IIIF) satellites and Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) system capabilities, including Regional Military Protection (RMP) high-powered military signal to strengthen U.S. and allied forces' GPS resiliency in contested environments to mitigate future threats, and the ability to rapidly reconfigure GPS IIIF satellites to create time-critical warfighter effects. OCX 3F will maintain backward compatibility with the existing OCX capabilities to support the legacy GPS constellation as well as GPS IIIF. OCX 3F includes critical functions necessary to launch, command, control, and monitor GPS IIIF spacecraft, collect and integrate RMP high-power regional Military Code (M-Code) signals for rapid warfighter effects, and support GPS IIIF auxiliary payloads, including Search and Rescue (SAR) and Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) Detection System (NDS).

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (3)