Tag: M-code

Editorial Advisory Board Q&A: The fate of the SAASM P(Y) code

The U.S. military is transitioning to M-code. When the transition is complete, what will become of the SAASM P(Y) code? What should be done with it? Should the U.S. government use it as a public authenticated service?

Jules McNeff

“In my opinion (not speaking on behalf of the Defense Department), eventual use of the P(Y) code as a public authenticated service is not feasible based on both time and accessibility. Even with the transition to M-code, the legacy P(Y) code will continue to be used by the U.S. military and by U.S. allies and partner nations as long as there are military requirements for it. More importantly, public access to the encrypted P(Y) code would require general distribution of classified cryptographic keys and associated hardware/software by the DOD. That will not happen, even if the P(Y) code use is discontinued.”
Jules McNeff
Overlook Systems Technologies

Bernard Gruber

“Broadly speaking, GPS user equipment security architectures transition every 10 years (such as PPS-SM/AOCs to SAASM to Modernized CGM/MSI.) It can be argued that implementation of these security measures generally takes 10 years or longer to implement. SAASM P(Y) receivers will be around for a long time, implementation can be expensive, backwards compatibility is critical. Personally, I would like to see SAASM architectures evolve to support critical services within other U.S. government departments first, and then determine a path that supports a public service as threats, unfortunately, move forward.”
Bernard Gruber
Northrop Grumman

John Fischer

“Why not? Authentication protects against spoofing. I don’t know all the obstacles involved, but even if an internet connection is required to overcome the one-way limitation of GPS, that isn’t a problem for most applications. Our credit card transactions are secured this way, why not our PNT information? Decades ago, the U.S. Air Force gave the world a gift with the open GPS signal; they could do it again with a secure signal. The world would be a better place.”
John Fischer
Orolia

F. Michael Swiek

“It’s premature to forecast when military operations will transition from P(Y) code even after M-code operations achieve Initial and Final Operating Capability (IOC and FOC). SAASM P(Y) code will continue to support military operations for an extended period since all MGUE receivers (both increments 1 and 2) are YMCA capable, meaning they support P(Y) code, M-code and C/A code operations. As a military-encrypted signal with military utility, military leaders must carefully weigh any potential P(Y) code transition and its impact on military operations.”
Michael Swiek
GPS Alliance

Ellen Hall

“If P(Y) code is offered as a new service to the public, it will have to be maintained. This carries a great cost. This is a legacy product that had a specific military need, which has been replaced and improved upon by M-code. In today’s uncertain times, we need to be wise with our tax dollars. The cost to continue both SAASM and M-code is greater than the benefit to the public, in my opinion.”
Ellen Hall
Spirent Federal Systems

Feature photo: U.S. Marine Corps/Capt. Joshua Hays

October 28, 2021
BAE Systems unveils tiny M-code military GPS receiver

Photo: U.S. Army/Spc. Brooke Davis, Operations Group, National Training Center

BAE Systems has unveiled its ultra-small MicroGRAM-M GPS receiver that receives the new M-code military GPS signals resistant to jamming and spoofing.

About the size of a postage stamp, MicroGRAM-M is a small, lightweight and power-efficient M-code embedded GPS receiver, capable of delivering assured positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) for size-constrained and other micro-applications.

“We’re delivering reliable PNT where our customers need it — from soldiers’ handheld devices to small unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Greg Wild, director of Navigation and Sensor Systems at BAE Systems. “MicroGRAM-M provides our armed forces and allies with a low-SWAP M-code GPS solution that’s resistant to adversaries’ disruption efforts in highly contested environments.”

MicroGRAM-M features rapid, secure GPS signal acquisition, enhanced security and resiliency, anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities, and very low power consumption for an M-code device. The 1.0 x 1.25 x 0.275-inch MicroGRAM-M has the same physical dimensions as its predecessor, enabling quick upgradability to M-code and reduced system integration costs. At its core is a proven, tamper-proof M-code Common GPS Module that encapsulates classified data and signal processing.

“MicroGRAM-M is the latest BAE Systems M-code military GPS product, joining MPE-M and NavStrike-M, which deliver enhanced awareness in highly contested environments and precision munitions guidance,” said John Watkins, vice president and general manager of Precision Strike & Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems. “Qualification of MicroGRAM-M is underway, with full-rate production expected in 2022.”

Delivering M-code User Equipment to Germany

On June 29, BAE Systems received the first contract from the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Production Corps to deliver M-code military GPS user equipment to Germany. Under a Foreign Military Sales contract, the company is delivering the advanced M-code GPS technology to Germany, enabling precise, resilient, and secure geolocation and positioning capabilities that improve the effectiveness of allied operations.

The German FMS order focuses on BAE Systems’ Miniature PLGR Engine — M-code (MPE-M), which delivers precise positioning, navigation and timing capabilities; anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities; a modern security architecture; and a size suitable for space-constrained applications.

BAE Systems will provide the first MPE-M receivers to Germany for integration, test and evaluation in 2021. Work on the program will be performed at BAE Systems’ facilities in Cedar Rapids and Coralville, Iowa.

August 26, 2021
Spirent teams with Northrop Grumman on GNSS/inertial validation

Spirent Federal Systems, a provider of PNT/GNSS test equipment, announced plans to fully validate the inertial interface between Spirent GNSS simulators and both Northrop Grumman legacy and modernized inertial systems under the EGI‐M program.

For years, Spirent Federal has developed inertial interface test tools in collaboration with Northrop Grumman that yield repeatable, accurate results.

Northrop Grumman’s embedded GPS/inertial navigation system (INS)‐modernization, or EGI‐M, program is developing airborne navigation capabilities with a government‐owned open architecture. The fully modernized system integrates new M‐code capable GPS receivers, provides interoperability with civil controlled air space, and implements a new resilient time capability.

“Spirent Federal has long supported testing of the Northrop Grumman family of interfaces,” said Jeff Martin, Vice President of Sales for Spirent Federal, “and our customers have always obtained precise, reliable results. Spirent Federal strives to keep abreast of the newest technology to be ready to meet the needs of industry, and this collaborative effort that includes the EGI‐M program is yet another example. Spirent is an important part of Northrop Grumman’s test solutions and this validation project acknowledges that importance.”

Spirent Federal has been providing tools for testing inertial systems for more than two decades. Available SimINERTIAL interfaces comprise various EGIs and IMUs from manufacturers of inertial sensors, including Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton), Honeywell and Atlantic Inertial Systems, as well as standardized interfaces such as STANAG.

Testing the full operational performance of GPS/inertial systems usually requires expensive and time‐consuming field testing on a moving vehicle. Spirent’s SimINERTIAL system emulates inertial sensor outputs while concurrently simulating GPS RF signals, enabling controlled, repeatable testing of EGIs and reducing the need for field trials.

August 16, 2021
U.S. Army Sentinel A4 radar program receives Orolia M-code solution

Orolia Defense & Security delivers M-code-enabled timing and synchronization to Lockheed Martin

In September 2019, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to develop the U.S. Army’s Sentinel A4 radar system, an air and missile defense radar that will provide improved capability against dynamic threats.

The following November, Orolia Defense & Security announced the availability of M-code military GPS receivers in its flagship SecureSync — the first time server approved by the Defense Information Systems Agency.

Orolia is supplying SecureSync units for Lockheed Martin’s Sentinel A4 radar. (Photo U.S. Army)

This May, Orolia delivered a shipment of M-code-enabled SecureSync mission timing and synchronization units to Lockheed Martin, marking a key milestone for the Army program. SecureSync with M-code provides enhanced resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities and improved resistance to existing and emerging GPS threats, such as jamming and spoofing.

Lockheed Martin selected Orolia’s SecureSync M-code as the A4 system’s resilient time and frequency reference solution in part due to its modular, open architecture – the same characteristics that are the cornerstone of the radar’s design – making integration a simple process and ensuring future upgrades.

“As a trusted Lockheed Martin partner, Orolia is proud to support the development of the Sentinel A4, which will be a key asset to our warfighters for decades to come,” said Hironori Sasaki, president of Orolia Defense & Security. “Making M-code available now in a readily configurable and scalable form factor is a critical step in advancing our forces out in the field, whether in the air or on the ground,” Sasaki added.

The next-generation of U.S. military systems are fortified with M-code, and Orolia leads the industry in M-code solutions for navigation warfare (NAVWAR) environments.

Orolia is supplying SecureSync units for Lockheed Martin’s Sentinel A4 radar. (Photo U.S. Army)

Image: Orolia

July 30, 2021
BAE Systems chooses Spirent Federal CRPA test system
For controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) testing and M-code testing for military GPS receivers

Image: Spirent Federal

BAE Systems has selected Spirent Federal Systems to provide a CRPA Test System to support M-code military GPS technology development.

BAE Systems is developing an advanced military GPS receiver and improving the capabilities of size-constrained and power-constrained military GPS applications, including precision-guided munitions and handheld devices.

Spirent Federal is qualified to provide essential test equipment and support in the pursuit of resilient, accurate PNT data in GPS-degraded Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) situations, Spirent stated in a press release.

The Spirent CRPA Test System is a development of its GSS9000 Series platform. It can test
- controlled reception pattern antennas (CRPAs)
- MNSA and AES M-code
- jamming and spoofing threats and mitigation
- ultra-high-dynamic vehicle applications
- inertial navigation systems
- additional encrypted military signals, Y-code and SAASM
- and more
CRPAs provide proven and effective protection against jamming in high-interference environments. The Spirent CRPA Test System can simulate 16+ individual elements with a separate RF output per antenna element.

For the 16-element test system, concurrent simulation of GNSS signals, signals from spoofers and repeaters, and interference from multiple jammers — including Blue Force Electronic Attack (BFEA) jamming waveforms — results in more than 1,000 simultaneous independent channels and signals simulated across a phase-calibrated precise wavefront.

“The CRPA Test System is the culmination of over 35 years of R&D and industry leadership and is perfectly positioned to help with next-generation MGUE modernization,” said Ellen Hall, president/CEO of Spirent Federal. “Our robust M-code test capabilities support BAE Systems’ advances in M-code technology.”

Spirent can provide GNSS and interference signal simulation solutions for every stage in the CRPA design and verification process. To learn more, visit Spirent Federal’s CRPA Test System page.
July 13, 2021
SpaceX launches GPS satellite to provide PNT services

SpaceX launched into orbit for the U.S. Space Force the fifth GPS III satellite (SV05) on June 17.

Photo: U.S. Space Force

GPS III SV05 eventually will replace one of the legacy GPS IIR satellites. Once GPS III SV05 is operational, about 16% of the 31-satellite constellation will be modernized with GPS III’s new capabilities.

M-Code Requirement Met

GPS III SV05 is the 24th M-code satellite on orbit, completing the constellation’s baseline requirement to provide U.S. military forces a more-secure, harder-to-jam and spoof GPS signal.

GPS III SV05 is the fifth Lockheed Martin-built, next-generation GPS III space vehicle. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is the first U.S. Space Force mission to reuse a previously-flown booster, the company said.

The U.S. Space Force contracted Lockheed Martin to design and build GPS III/GPS IIIF satellites to help modernize today’s GPS satellite constellation with new technology and advanced capabilities. Lockheed Martin said the GPS III provides three-times greater accuracy, eight times improved anti-jamming capability for U.S. military forces; a new L1C civil signal to the constellation that is compatible with other GNSS; and a new modular design that allows new technology and capabilities to be added in the future to better address changing mission needs and emerging threats.

Future GPS III Satellites

GPS III Space Vehicles 06, 07 and 08 already are complete and waiting to be called up for their launch dates, which are to be determined.

In addition, GPS III SV09 was core-mated, meaning it reached a major production milestone in which two major satellite components — the mission module and the propulsion core — are paired to form one space vehicle. The GPS III SV10 currently is in the component build up stage.

Lockheed Martin has been contracted to design and build up to 22 additional GPS III Follow On – or GPS IIIF – satellites (SV11-32), with even more capabilities. Contract options for the first four GPS IIIFs, SV11-14, have been exercised so far.

The U.S. Space Force contracted Lockheed Martin to design and build GPS III/GPS IIIF to help modernize today’s GPS satellite constellation. Photo: Lockheed Martin

June 18, 2021
GPS III SV-05 encapsulated ahead of June 17 launch

The fifth GPS III satellite was encapsulated within a SpaceX payload fairing on June 9 in preparation for its June 17 launch.

The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center’s Lockheed Martin-built GPS III Space Vehicle 05 satellite was encapsulated within a SpaceX payload fairing at Astrotech Space Operations Florida facility on June 9 in preparation for launch, scheduled for June 17 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The 15-minute launch window opens 12:09 p.m. EDT. If SpaceX provides a live feed to view the launch, it will be available here.

Encapsulation of the satellite within the payload fairing protects the satellite from the impact of dynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating during its harrowing journey through the earth’s atmosphere, and supports the ability to communicate with the satellite until separation from the launch vehicle on orbit.

“The GPS III program continues to make strides in modernizing the GPS constellation for the United States Space Force, maintaining the ‘gold standard’ for position, navigation and timing,” said Col. Edward Byrne, Medium Earth Orbit Space Systems division chief, “SV05 is not only the first-ever USSF satellite launched on a previously flown booster, but also is the 24th military-code (M-xode) satellite introduced to our constellation, the last needed to bring M-code to full operational capability.”

GPS III SV05 will join the current 31-satellite operational constellation to continue to provide the gold standard in positioning, navigation and timing services for more than four billion users worldwide.

The Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is the U.S. Space Force’s center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the development of advanced space and launch capability and systems, global navigation satellite systems, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space-based infrared systems, and space situational awareness capabilities.

GPS III SV05 is encapsulated within a SpaceX payload fairing at Astrotech Space Operations Florida in preparation for its June 17 launch. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

June 11, 2021
BAE Systems receives $325M for M-code GPS modules

BAE Systems Inc. has received a $325.5 million contract from the Defense Logistics Agency for advanced military code (M-code) GPS modules that will provide reliable and secure positioning, navigation and timing data with anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities.

The modules will help warfighters conduct operations in contested electronic warfare environments.

“Our state-of-the-art GPS technology works with the advanced military M-code signal to provide reliable information to the warfighters who depend on it,” said Greg Wild, director of Navigation and Sensor Systems at BAE Systems. “This contract will ensure the availability of M-code module inventory to build advanced, next-generation GPS receivers.”

Under the multi-year contract, BAE Systems will deliver Modernized GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 1 Common GPS Modules (CGMs) compatible with the advanced M-code signal to support the U.S. Department of Defense and international allies through 2030.

BAE Systems will manufacture the modules, manage their inventory on behalf of the Defense Logistics Agency, and use them to build military-grade GPS receivers for ground and precision-guided munitions.

BAE Systems’ portfolio of M-code GPS receivers provides flexible, efficient, and reliable navigation and guidance solutions for airborne systems, precision munitions, handheld receivers, and embedded applications.

The company’s Miniature Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver Engine – M-Code (MPE-M) — the smallest M-code solution on the market — and the NavStrike-M GPS receiver for precision-guided munitions are both available today. Additional receivers from the company’s military GPS family are in development for transition to M-code.

Photo: BAE Systems

May 18, 2021
GPS III SV05 arrives in Florida for June launch

GPS III SV05, now in Florida, is shown fully integrated at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Colorado. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center successfully delivered the fifth GPS III satellite to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on April 6.

GPS III Space Vehicle (SV) 05 was transported from the Lockheed Martin facility in Waterton, Colorado, to the Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Florida, by a C-17 Globemaster III crew from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Lockheed Martin is the contractor for construction of the GPS III satellites.

Now that the satellite has arrived at the Astrotech Space Operations facility, the latest addition to the GPS constellation modernization effort will begin final testing and checkout before the launch. While at Astrotech, it will undergo final post-ship functional testing, be fueled with onboard propellant, and then be encapsulated for launch.

Once these tasks are accomplished, SV05 will be horizontally integrated with the first-ever SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle to be reflown for a National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission.

“SV05 is the third GPS III satellite shipped to the Cape in the last 14 months and marks a key step to our larger goal of GPS constellation modernization,” said Col. Edward Byrne, SMC’s Space Production Corps Medium Earth Orbit Space Systems Division chief. “As the fourth GPS III launch campaign with SpaceX, this NSSL mission is historic both for the first reflight of a Falcon 9 rocket and for being the 24th military-code (M-code) satellite introduced to our constellation, the last needed to bring M-code to full operational capability.”

Slated to launch in June, GPS III SV05 will join the operational constellation of 31 GPS satellites, delivering enhanced performance and accuracy through a variety of improvements.

Improvements include increased signal protection, L1C signal interoperability, and the newest civilian signal, L5. As a crucial technological foundation for internet, financial, transportation and agricultural operations, GPS delivers the gold standard in positioning, navigation and timing services supporting U.S. and allied operations worldwide.

The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, located at the Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is the center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. SMC’s portfolio includes space launch, global positioning systems, military satellite communications, a meteorological satellite control network, range systems, space-based infrared systems, and space situational awareness capabilities.

April 22, 2021
BAE Systems to develop advanced GPS chips for warfighters

BAE Systems has received a $247 million contract from the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center to design and manufacture an advanced military GPS receiver and next-generation semiconductor.

The technology will provide positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities to warfighters so they can execute missions in challenging electromagnetic environments.

MGUE Increment 2

The contract is related to November’s U.S. Department of Defense contract for M-Code military GPS technology.

The Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 2 Miniature Serial Interface program will provide improved capabilities for size-constrained and power-constrained military GPS applications, including precision-guided munitions and battery-powered handheld devices.

The program will focus on the certification of an advanced application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and the development of an ultra-small, low-power GPS module.

Both products will work with the next-generation military M-code signal technology, which provides reliable GPS data with anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities to protect against electronic warfare threats.

“This program enables us to further develop our core M-code technology to deliver high-performance, next-generation GPS capabilities,” said Greg Wild, director of Navigation and Sensor Systems at BAE Systems. “Our M-code receiver and next-gen ASIC will enable secure and reliable military GPS capabilities in a broader range of platforms.”

BAE Systems’ Precision Strike business has 45 years of military GPS experience and more than 1.5 million GPS devices on over 280 platforms around the world. The company is currently producing M-code GPS receivers in multiple form factors, including a low power, small form factor M-code solution.

Additional prototypes are in development for ground, weapons and airborne mission applications, and the company’s M-code GPS products are available to U.S. allies via foreign military sales.

Work on the program will be conducted at the company’s facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Feature image: An Airman with the 374th Security Forces Squadron uses a Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) to track the team’s current during a 2018 field training exercise at Camp Fuji, Japan. (Photo: Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore/U.S. Air Force)

February 24, 2021
M-code receivers start to roll out
Military receivers key to Orolia’s PNT Solutions

Orolia, through its Orolia Defense & Security business, announced in November 2020 the launch of M-code military GPS receivers in its line of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions.

The line includes M-code-enabled mobile mission timing and synchronization platforms, such as the SecureSync IDM resilient time and frequency reference solution, the first time server approved by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and the Versa mobile PNT platform to meet rugged size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) requirements.

M-code is a military signal used in the L1 and L2 GPS bands. It is required by congressional mandate for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) military operations.

M-code is designed to enhance PNT capabilities and improved resistance to existing and emerging threats to GPS, such as jamming and spoofing. Operational benefits of M-code include:
- a higher power signal that offers improved resistance to jamming and interference
- advanced security features to prevent unauthorized access or exploitation
- improved message formats and signal modulation techniques for faster and more accurate performance.
Orolia has long supported the DOD’s need for selective availability anti-spoofing module (SAASM)-enabled PNT equipment, explained Hironori Sasaki, president of Orolia Defense & Security. “This announcement emphasizes our move toward M-code and the availability of M-code in our products,” Sasaki said. “Our focus has always been on staying in sync with the DOD and providing the latest and greatest technologies.”
Orolia now supports M-code in all its user products and offers two capabilities: simulation and M-code-enabled end-user devices. “They will each have a different approval process for export,” Sasaki said. “We follow DOD guidance on getting that capability out there.”

SecureSync, which is SAASM-enabled, has been deployed with DOD for many years, so Orolia has “a very good install base” of these devices, according to Sasaki. “We are providing a very easy and seamless upgrade path to go from SAASM to M-code in that platform.” The company’s Versa platform consists of the VersaSync and the VersaPNT, both small form-factor PNT devices designed for rugged application in military vehicles or military aircraft.

DOD has given Orolia approval to advertise the fact that it has these capabilities in its products. “We are expecting shipments to start in early 2021,” said Sasaki. “So, we are well on our way in development, implementation and productization.”

“We have been focusing on providing products that have a modular architecture, both in software and hardware,” Sasaki added. “We are embracing this approach of open architecture and continue to support the DOD in providing different layers of sensing and PNT protection in a way that can be incorporated into future DOD systems.

“We have already demonstrated our ability to deliver PNT solutions in various form factors, so I think we are in a good position to continue pushing forward with that open architecture approach,” Sasaki said.
February 1, 2021
US ally receiving modern military GPS user equipment

Germany is the first United States ally to order the new military code (M-code)-capable Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE).

The Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Production Corps achieved the major milestone on Sept. 30, when GPS Foreign Military Sales (FMS) office received its first M-code MGUE order.Germany is expected to receive delivery of its first M-code receivers this year.

SMC is facilitating international access and availability of M-code user equipment as directed by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of Defense to 58 authorized nations. Additional foreign military sales of MGUE are being worked.

Currently, SMC is engaged with several nations in bilateral M-code prototyping, demonstration and lead platform planning efforts. Under a multilateral agreement, MGUE ground-based receivers are on schedule to be loaned to approved partners for early integration and test in national weapons systems.

M-code is an upgrade to the currently available GPS signals that provides enhanced secure positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) performance, anti-jam and anti-spoofing to provide a more resilient PNT solution. It will improve interoperability with our defense partners’ equipment and operations while increasing navigation warfare effectiveness for allied operations.

January 6, 2021