NovAtel’s SPAN GNSS/INS technology is now available on the company’s OEM625S dual-frequency SAASM GPS plus civil RTK receiver. The addition of SPAN offers system developers with SAASM requirements the benefit of continuously available 3D positioning, velocity and attitude (roll, pitch, yaw) for their U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) applications.
Authorized defense customers need access to the Precise Positioning Service (PPS) for DOD applications. When keyed, the existing OEM625S board level receiver provides an RTK PPS solution by taking the raw measurements from an L-3 XFACTOR SAASM and applying them to NovAtel’s industry leading RTK algorithm. SPAN technology couples NovAtel’s precision GNSS receivers with robust IMUs to provide a more reliable, stable solution, even during short periods of time when satellite signals are blocked or unavailable. The company offers a range of IMU options to meet the accuracy and size requirements for nearly any defense application.
NovAtel’s FlexPak-S enclosure.
SPAN technology is also available on NovAtel’s FlexPak-S enclosure, with multiple RS-232/RS422 serial ports for ease of integration.
Geodetics Inc. has teamed up with Silicon Valley’s Velodyne Lidar. Velodyne and Geodetics will work on a variety of initiatives to enhance each others technologies and products with the goal of offering a small-size integrated inertial navigation and LiDAR-based mobile mapping payload for UAVs and other autonomous platforms.
Payloads will include Velodyne’s HDL-64E, HDL-32E and VLP-16 real-time LiDAR systems combined with Geodetics’ Geo-iNAV inertial navigation systems.
Geodetics and Velodyne are exhibiting this week at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Show in Atlanta, being held May 4-7 (booth 1500J and booth 2838 respectively). See our show coverage page for more information.
Velodyne’s LiDAR sensors are the highest performance LiDAR systems on the market in their size, weight and power class. Geo-iNAV is a fully-integrated GPS-aided inertial navigation system that provides real-time, high-precision positioning and navigation for manned and unmanned air, sea and ground vehicles. It combines GPS and proprietary sensor fusion technologies to achieve centimeter-level real-time positioning and navigation for dynamic platforms.
“We’re delighted to work with Geodetics to ease the integration process for our customers,” said David Oroshnik, Technical Sales Engineer, Velodyne LiDAR. “Our decision to support Geodetics is based upon the growing demand for cost-effective, small-sized, fully-integrated mobile mapping payloads that deliver performance traditionally associated with higher-end systems.”
“Velodyne’s LiDAR systems enable Geodetics’ products to reach new markets and customers by delivering high performance in a smaller package and for a lower cost than competing devices,” said Lydia Bock, Geodetics president and CEO.
With recent advances in unmanned vehicle technologies, the GNSS ecosystem has expanded to support such mission-critical applications as mobile mapping. These applications increasingly require more accurate navigation to accomplish their mission. The Geo-iNAV family of inertial navigation products delivers this capability with features that support reliable and precise navigation with a low SWaP (size, weight and power) profile for autonomous vehicles and payloads on manned vehicles.
Geo-iNAV is offered in several configurations designed to meet a wide range of requirements. It is available in commercial as well as SAASM configurations, meeting a wide range of inertial navigation application requirements.
Rockwell Collins has signed a contract to provide its MicroGRAM GPS receivers (pictured here) for Harris Corporation’s tactical radios, bringing secure, jam-resistant GPS capability to products such as the Falcon III AN/PRC-158 and AN/PRC-117G.
Rockwell Collins has signed a contract to provide its MicroGRAM GPS receivers for Harris Corporation’s tactical radios, bringing secure, jam-resistant GPS capability to products such as the Falcon III AN/PRC-158 and AN/PRC-117G.
The contract, which represents the largest annual purchase of MicroGRAM, calls for Rockwell Collins to provide 5,000 GPS receivers to Harris over the next three years. Deliveries began in January.
“MicroGRAM enables Harris Corporation to meet military customer demands for embedded, secure GPS,” said Mike Jones, vice president and general manager of Communication and Navigation Products for Rockwell Collins. “MicroGRAM protects warfighters from the growing jamming and spoofing threats on the battlefield, while enhancing survivability and mission success.”
With this selection, Jones said Harris is one of the first major original equipment manufacturers to commit to using MicroGRAM to meet the Department of Defense’s (DoD) requirement to use Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) technology in its products.
“Harris is pleased to continue our long relationship with Rockwell Collins as our provider of GRAM SAASM GPS modules. Integrating the MicroGRAM receiver into a number of our new tactical radios allows us to reduce the size and weight while extending the battery life of our products,” said George Helm, president, Department of Defense business, Harris RF Communications. “The end result is delivering reliable situational awareness down to the individual warfighter.”
MicroGRAM is the world’s smallest, lightest, lowest powered SAASM-based GPS receiver. It enables military micro-users who require secure Position, Navigation & Timing (PNT) to comply with U.S. DoD policy that all combat and combat support systems use SAASM-based GPS devices. This capability is critical at a time when threats to commercial GPS are increasing. The use of unprotected commercial non-SAASM GPS devices has inherent vulnerabilities which introduce a false sense of situational awareness on the battlefield.
NovAtel has launched the FlexPak-S GNSS SAASM enclosure. The FlexPak-S contains a NovAtel dual-frequency OEM625S receiver card integrated with L-3’s XFACTOR Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module (SAASM) onboard. The FlexPak-S is security-approved by the GPS Directorate for operational use.
NovAtel made the announcement at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2014, being held this week in Orlando, Florida.
When keyed by authorized defense integrators, the FlexPak-S provides centimeter-level Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Precise Positioning Service (PPS) solution by taking the raw measurements from the XFACTOR SAASM and applying them to NovAtel’s Advanced RTK algorithms. The FlexPak-S can be handled as unclassified when keyed.
In the Standard Positioning Service (SPS) fallback mode, the FlexPak-S continues to provide centimeter-level accuracy by utilizing NovAtel’s dual-frequency civil GNSS positioning engine. FlexPak-S’ fallback mode is configurable for GPS or GPS+GLONASS. Adding GLONASS tracking increases position performance in obstructed sky conditions, which is a benefit for unmanned ground vehicles.
FlexPak-S was developed for size-constrained environments, so it’s compact and lightweight, NovAtel said. Despite its size, the rugged GNSS enclosure has been engineered to ensure reliability, even in harsh environments. The IP67 housing is water-resistant and operates in a wide temperature range. FlexPak-S also allows for easy integration with standardized hardware connections and NovAtel’s comprehensive set of software commands. The SAASM position is provided via a dedicated communication port, as well as through NovAtel’s software command protocol, allowing for maximum flexibility. FlexPak-S uses the same form factor as the FlexPak6 design.
“FlexPak-S is a great option for customers looking for a reliable solution in environments where size is critical, like UAV and robotics applications,” said Shane McEwen, product manager for NovAtel Enclosures. “With standard software and hardware connections, integration is simplified so there is a quicker time to market.”
GPS Source announced today that GLI-FLO has been granted security approval by the U.S. Air Force Global Positioning Systems Directorate. The GPS Directorate security approval provides GPS Source with the opportunity to supply military end-users and prime contractors with a DAGR Distributed Device (D3) that meets the mandate for reliability and security, GPS Source said.
GLI-FLO is a secure (ICD-GPS-153 compliant) GPS position, navigation, and timing (PNT) distribution device. One GLI-FLO has the same capability as four DAGRs operating in a platform mounted application (eight DAGRs with custom cabling). GLI-FLO serves ICD-GPS-153 PNT data simultaneously to multiple communication or weapon systems that require GPS information. It routes PNT data while secured in the bracket now used by the DAGR, utilizing standard DAGR accessory cables. When GLI-FLO is connected to one DAGR (or as alternative option, interfaces with an internal secure GPS receiver), secure PNT data can be distributed without the integration of GB-GRAM cards to multiple devices.
GLI-FLO meets the stringent requirements for reliability and security by integrating a GPS Directorate-approved SAASM receiver (Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module). SAASM is the security architecture selected by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to provide current security functions for GPS-authorized military users.
“We understand the importance of reliable GPS/PNT data for synchronizing military operations and the need to protect against jamming and/or spoofing,” said Robert Horton, CEO of GPS Source. “We further realize the importance of protecting our national assets by designing products that fully comply with all GPS Directorate security requirements. This security approval makes it possible for our GLI-FLO to be deployed by military forces without reservation.”
In addition to the SAASM compliance, other GLI-FLO features include the ability to serve ICD-GPS-153 PNT data simultaneously to multiple communications or weapon systems that require secure GPS information. It is a significant step for GPS Source toward compliance in GPS Signal Distribution (Single PNT Distribution Point). With zero impact to subscriber application software/hardware, it removes the need to rely on multiple, expensive GB-GRAMS found in military platforms.
I first met just-pinned-on, shiny and bright, Captain Bernard Gruber-USAF in 1992. Bernie had just arrived at the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California where he would hold several important positions.
For those readers not aware of the mission and importance of the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), today SMC, which began in 1954, is the nation’s center of technical expertise for military space acquisition with more than 5,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $10 billion.
Bernie’s first association with GPS at SMC was as the chief of User Equipment Production at the then NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Joint Program Office (GPS-JPO). He went on to serve as the program manager for Foreign Military Sales (FMS), working with our allies, and then as the program manager for Advanced Military Devices, which is a euphemism for things we can’t discuss in this venue. All this in a short 40-month time frame, which is almost as long as he has served in his current capacity as the director of the Global Positioning Systems Directorate, now 21 years later. As a young starry-eyed captain, I remember Bernie as energetic, dedicated and full of ideas, which pretty much describes him today as he completes his last active duty assignment and his 26-year U.S. Air Force career draws to a close.
While it may be fair to say that Bernie had some notion of what to expect when he was assigned as the commander of the GPS Wing in 2010, he actually had no idea of all the tremendous and mostly positive changes that would occur to the GPS program under his watch.
I thought it would be fitting to conduct an exit interview with Bernie during his last full month on the job and get his opinion concerning the changes to GPS during his tenure and the probable way ahead for GPS as he turns over the reins.
Don Jewell (DJ): Colonel Gruber, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. I know you are extremely busy and your time is running short at SMC. Bernie, you have certainly lived the old Chinese adage, also sometimes described as a curse, during your tenure as the GPS Wing Commander and as the director of the GPS Directorate, “May you live in interesting times.” Your tenure has been beset with one major challenge after another and yet you have persevered and — I think this is something for which you will be remembered — you have consistently turned those challenges into opportunities. Let’s discuss some of the opportunities.
Certainly sequestration and budget issues are big topics today. Having come from the Pentagon and having worked on the financial side of GPS, were you surprised by what you found when you took over as the GPS Wing commander? Was it all you expected it to be? The big question seems to be, how is sequestration going to affect the future of the GPS?
Colonel (USAF) Bernard Gruber (BG): Well, Don, certainly budget issues are a key topic today, but let me say before we get started on the questions and answers that I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you and your readers at GPS World. As you said in your introduction, these have certainly been interesting times. Some people may call it crazy but they are certainly interesting, nonetheless.
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised how much had changed on the [GPS] program when I came back to SMC, and the changes were really all for the good. It warmed my heart to see the Foreign Military Sales [FMS] office — which I actually started back in 1992 — now has agreements with 55 nations, and military sales continue to increase year-by-year. I was also very happy and surprised to see the SAASM or Selective Availability and Anti-Spoofing Module program, which I was actually the program manager for in its infancy, has now been installed on over one million GPS military receivers — in my estimation this program is protecting warfighters around the globe every single day. I think that is something we can be very proud of together.
The folks in the [GPS] Program Directorate that I have had the good fortune to work with are really something special. They work their hearts out every single day to protect, modernize, and sustain this great system. Also, I continue to be very much amazed that people understand the value of GPS as part of our critical infrastructure. So, my thanks to folks like you, Don, and the folks at GPS World for educating the public on this great utility that we have.
DJ: Thank you, Bernie, for those kind words. You know we are always happy to serve.
BG: Moving on to the sequestration bill… We are working very hard to reduce our costs and invest in different opportunities that have a return on investment like dual launch [of GPS III — ed.] and NavSat, or I think it is NibbleSat, as you and Dr. Parkinson referred to it in your article from the National Space Symposium, which we look at as an augmentation to GPS III. That is a good thing because it can significantly reduce total lifecycle costs of the program. So we continue to look at these, amongst other items, that we will prioritize and spend our development dollars on — items such as Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, smart solar arrays, that allow you to have more efficient use of power, more efficient power amplifiers, that are significantly shrunk down in size from what we have today. Bottom line is we will continue to work on processes that clearly show a positive value stream.
DJ: I would think that one of your bigger, albeit not technical, challenges during your tenure was transitioning the GPS Wing back to an SMC Directorate. Any thoughts about the wisdom of that transition? Has it affected operations in a positive or negative way, or can you detect a difference? Has it affected the space career field for your military members?
BG: I remember you asking me this very same question back in 2011 during our very first interview, and I wish I remembered [ed. We remember — click the link]what I said back then, but I will give it a shot from where we are, right here, right now (laughs).
General Sheridan, as you very well know, the prior SMC Commander, had actually given me six goals when I got here. The first of those was fix the gap between OCX and GPS III. If you recall, we had about a 15-month gap in the delivery of those items. The second one was he asked me to transfer the AEP and LADO[launch, early orbit, anomaly and disposal operations, now provided by Braxton Technologies] ground segment to our users [the 50th Space Wing] and get that capability to them as soon as we could, so that they could operate it and own it. The third one was fix the IIF production line. The fourth one was to get the MGUE, or military GPS user equipment, back on track and award contracts. The fifth one was build a relationship and continue that relationship with the 50th Space Wing [Schriever AFB, Colorado]. The last one that he actually gave me was to ready the first space vehicle for GPS III through the GNST, which of course is the GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Test Bed and an engineering, manufacturing and development pathfinder for the GPS III program, used to achieve modernization. And, Don, I am happy to say that we as a team have achieved every one of those goals.
Not far behind those goals, Don, General Sheridan followed up with the task of transitioning the Wing back to the Directorate. And as far as I can tell, it has really been seamless. I have to say, though, I really miss the instant recognition that we, as airmen first and then as acquisition professionals, had when we were called Squadrons, Groups and Wings. While I certainly understand that the number of folks that we supervise may have not have justified those titles by themselves, the level of responsibility that we have and my peers have around here certainly did, in my opinion. All around the change has not affected us in any negative way, and I really don’t detect any significant difference resulting from that transition.
DJ: Bernie, you oversaw the first successful launches of the Boeing-built GPS IIF satellites — a program beset by significant schedule and costs issues. Yet it has evidently become a success under your watch, even though there are still some issues. What are your overall thoughts about the IIF program?
BG: Thank you for that, but I really share this success with many, many other people here at SMC as well as at Team Boeing. The IIF program really and truly has turned a corner. It’s delivering world-class position, navigation and timing (PNT) data right now for users all over the world. Under my watch we had the addition of three IIF satellites actually put into the active constellation today. And although a lot of people may not know it right now, we recently achieved our very best day ever on the 21st of April in terms of accuracy of the GPS signal, with average user range errors (URE) of less than 51 centimeters. That is really astounding! It is better, clearly better, than any PNT system in the entire world today.
So the IIF program, at this point, is focused on closing out the production line and certainly completing those remaining few satellites. We will ready those eight satellites for launch, and then we will support the existing on-constellation needs as they arise.
Now, the nature of space programs is such that technology issues can, of course, creep up on you at any given time. I think we have proven that we can meet those issues head-on and keep the program on track. I could not be prouder of my IIF team very specifically. I very much recall when I first walked into this program office, when we had to actually shut down the IIF production line for over a month. That was a hard thing to do, but it really focused us on closing all the discrepancy reports we had and modeling a very smooth production flow.
So, here we are now with four [GPS-IIFs] on orbit, and five in the barn. As far as I can tell, programmatic and technology challenges have really pretty much been abated to continue to allow world-class spacecraft and mission data as we look forward.
And, Don, let me also add that we successfully transitioned at that time the entire ground segment, the LADO system, which I know you are very familiar with, the systems training system, as well as the data archival system to our operators and partners at the 50th Space Wing, without one single lien.
DJ: Bernie, what you just told us is very impressive. Accuracy and standardization are critical to GPS program success, and it sounds like you have that well in hand. Of course, the seamless transition of key responsibilities to the 50th Space Wing and 2SOPS (2nd Space Operations Squadron) is to be applauded. Plus, it really appears you have the IIF issues resolved and the GPS III program has become a reality during your tenure. What are your hopes for that program? Do you think the Lockheed Martin built GPS III will truly, as some have predicted, become the first 30-year GPS satellite?
BG: The bottom line is that I sincerely hope that the GPS III program will be a benchmark for future space acquisition programs, both in terms of the high standards that were set for mission assurance, and the level of communication between our program office and the contractor. The GPS III program is entering the very early stages of testing right now on the first flight vehicle, and I anticipate that we will begin to see the program move down that learning curve in very short order. You know with the 15-year design life, which we put in the contract, along with stringent parts requirements and our priority on systems engineering, I really do expect that the GPS III satellites will operate beyond the standards set by the current constellation. And I do have to say that what we call our “back to basics” approach, that other folks have written about, which includes those attributes of strong systems engineering discipline, detailed manufacturing systems readiness reviews, and strict adherence to standards, are actually now showing tangible and documented results. In some cases a 60-percent reduction in our cycle time and a 70-percent reduction in discrepancies for the next delivered items. I think that is huge.
You know, even from an historical perspective, our pathfinder vehicle, which we talked about earlier, called GNST, has taken actually one year out of labor and interference testing from troubleshooting we have seen on two previous programs alone. So we are taking GNST through all the steps the very first GPS III satellite will be exposed to. Then we will ship it down to the Cape [Canaveral] in one month and we should be able to complete our initial and final look at integration and delivery.
DJ: Bernie, so far we have talked mainly about the successes in the space segment, while the future of OCX to many still seems very uncertain, especially in light of the latest GAO report, which had some serious issues of its own. You have been closer to this process than anyone. What are your thoughts? Does OCX have a future? There are rumors there are going to be major changes. Any announcements you would like to make or predict?
BG: The development program for the Next Generation Operational Control System has made significant progress, and has just recently completed a very critical Milestone B approval, in November 2012. As we stand right now, the program is poised to deliver the next-generation GPS space vehicle command and control capability, mainly for GPS III, of course. It will replace our legacy ground [command and control] system and will support legacy and future space vehicles, as well as all the signals that accompany them. The program at this point remains on track to deliver capabilities according to the acquisition program baseline that we set down during the recent milestone.
That said, Don, some of the recent and heavy work of information assurance criteria are extremely rigorous. In fact, they are the most rigorous I have ever seen on any program that I have been involved with. Someone once told me a few months ago, “Bernie, you know you are building an information fortress that just happens to do Command & Control.” So I don’t know if I actually subscribe to that thought, but I think it gets the point across. In today’s cyber-threat environment, we have to do this, and we have to do it right for the protection of GPS.
To give you some confidence in the program, as of today we have actually coded over 98 percent of the Block Zero system, which is the basis for launching and commanding the basic GPS III constellation and, of course, the first vehicle. And we followed that up with two very significant exercises to provide telemetry and an integrated planning system. In July, we will actually go forth with our third exercise itself. In fact, I just got off the phone with the team a few minutes ago, to exercise what we call off-nominal behavior. Those are different types of test plans we have to go through just in case something in the system goes wrong.
What that means, Don, is if something does not go according to plan, what we do is we inject faults into the system and other types of non-nominal behavior, and then we see if we can do recovery actions and how the command and control system will actually fix it and correct it. This ensures the operators will have the tools to fix it.
So, Don, as kind of an overview, along with what we call the complete authority to test the documentation that is in place right now and the conclusion, which we recently had, of our third critical design review, I think we are on our way. We will be challenged along the way, there is no doubt about that, but we are looking forward to achieving our full capability with Block One. [ed. OCX Block RTO currently scheduled to be delivered in Q1 2017.]
DJ: Bernie, that is great news for those who are worried about the future and viability of OCX. It is good to know you still see a way ahead. Now we have covered the three main segments of the program, but there are still concerns over the initial acquisition process and how that plays out over time. Certainly in your career you have been steeped in Air Force and DoD acquisition programs for years, which is a process many in government describe as a process in need of a major overhaul. What are your thoughts? How could we, the government, the USAF, do things differently? Any solutions or cogent thoughts?
BG: Sure, off the record! No, seriously, I have indeed been involved in acquisitions for a long time now, and let me just say that is a great question and it is certainly deserving of a much, much longer answer than I have time to provide for you here today. As a matter of fact, I have written a couple of papers on the subject of acquisition reform in the past, and I have been involved with three very significant studies in Defense Acquisition University (DAU) as well as one of our nation’s premier think tanks, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
But, in my opinion, there is a lot we can do, so let me just capture a couple of thoughts here. The first one, and I have noted this one many time before, is funding and requirements stability, both in what we call the program stages and execution stage of the program, is just paramount. That said, I fully realize with sequestration and budget control measures that we cannot control budget releases from Congress, cuts or changes. But it really does create an incredible burden on our ability to deliver systems on time. The second is one is to look seriously at decentralizing execution. As has been cited in many studies before, whether those be “Beyond Goldwater-Nichols” or the DAPA Study (Defense Acquisition Performance Assessment) that some people call the General Kadish study, it is easy for anyone along the long chain of acquisition approvals to say no or to add another layer of documentation or to change, but the ripple effect of doing that as well as what it does to the system is just overwhelming.
And I will say that as our Air Force Space Command commander (AFSPC/CC), someone who I know both you and I respect very deeply, General William Shelton, often says, “You know these times come with great opportunities and we need to seize upon them.” I couldn’t agree more with him.
DJ: Colonel Gruber, I assume you have had at least a few moments in your hectic schedule to reflect on your tenure at SMC and the GPS Directorate, so as we wind down today, can you describe your high and low points in the job? Would you in hindsight do anything differently?
BG: I think that is a great question, and I will say in all sincerity that there have actually been very few low points on this job, but there have been a couple. As you know, it has been frustrating for me to see civilian funding on GPS not come to closure. We have taken very large cuts over the last couple of years, and I am really not sure that the future is any more certain. I am not sure where we stand right now. This has a combined effect of increasing risk and potentially delaying the OCX program capabilities. Also, I was disappointed, quite frankly, to not be postured adequately to get a multi-year buy for the GPS III satellite system this time around for satellite vehicle nine and out. I truly believe that we can greatly reduce our costs through stable production line, an increased learning curve, correct incentives, and a large block buy. I really think we are going to get there, but I would really liked to have gotten this done before my successor, Colonel William “Bill” Cooley, arrives here in about a month.
As far as the high points go, Don, there are literally hundreds — seeing our folks get promoted, supporting the community activities here at Los Angeles Air Force Base, and of course the mission successes that we have enjoyed. These include, of course, the recent and successful launch of the IIF-SV4 on the 15th of May. Increasing the dependability of the GPS ground segment, and that is an actual measure, to 99.34 percent, which, by the way, is the best it has ever been in the history of the program. Awarding new contracts for on-orbit support and ground contracts that have reduced our contract costs by almost 50 percent. Another one is locking in three vendors to be able to build the next generation of GPS [ed. military] user equipment, and of course the achievements of the SMC commitments that I mentioned earlier and those that General Pawlikowski [SMC Commander] have laid out for us for the future.
So, in the big scheme of things, I am not sure that I would have done anything different, but the truth is, Don, it might take a little bit more reflection on my part, and I might answer that differently sometime in the future. But for right now I feel very confident with what we have done and very proud of what the team has taken forward with me.
DJ: Colonel Gruber I want to thank you very much for your time today, for your dedication to the GPS mission and for your service to your nation over the last 26 years. Now, this is your opportunity for a parting message and a chance to fill us in on what your future holds.
BG: I am not sure I have a parting message for you. Truth be told, leaving this program, the people in it and the great service our country provides through GPS is going to be hard to do. My three years is up, and I will be retiring from the USAF after 26 years of service. It has been a great ride. I applaud the efforts of you and your readers, our contractors, our government employees, and our international partners, of course, who continue to overcome adversity and invent new applications and services for GPS. But most of all, Don, I really want to thank the men and women who serve in deployed regions of the world. They are putting their lives on the line every single day. We owe it to them to have this system to be able to support them, anytime and anyplace.
And as to my future — I actually leave the Air Force with a smile on my face, it has been a great ride. After many discussions with my family, we are heading back to our roots in Minnesota. My wife and I are very fortunate to be able to make the decision to spend time with our parents and our families and relatives back home in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area.
DJ: Well, Bernie, I am totally surprised. I don’t think I ever heard you say, “ja shure, you bet, you know” once in all the years I have known you.
BG: Ya know, Don, I can really lay it on pretty thick when you need me to, ya know. [ed. Saying this, Bernie sounds exactly like an extra in the movie Fargo.] But seriously, we are going to spend some time with family and take it easy for awhile, and then I will explore future opportunities.
And with that comment, we wish Colonel Gruber the best of luck in the future. That’s a wrap for this month. Next month we will review some of the latest and best user equipment for our warfighters, government users, and critical first responders. So until next time, happy navigating.
Presentation to the 11th Meeting of the PNT Advisory Board
The following is an abbreviated transcript of Don Jewell’s briefing to the PNT Advisory Board at its meeting on Tuesday, May 7. The slides from Jewell’s briefing and the other briefings to the board are available at pnt.gov under the heading 11th PNTAB meeting.
First, a prefatory note from Don Jewell:
Author Sets the Scene
The old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” certainly applies to the atmosphere of a PNT Advisory Board meeting. And in this case, so does the oft repeated and entirely inadequate phrase “You had to be there.”
The atmosphere of an Advisory Board meeting is extremely dynamic. You have a very distinguished board of PNT subject-matter experts who are very passionate about their areas of expertise. Some, like Drs. Parkinson and Schlesinger, the co-chairs, have been involved with PNT and GPS matters for 45 years or more. Therefore, the danger of an abbreviated transcript of an emotion-filled briefing is always unsatisfactory at best, because you miss the give and take, the repartee of experts that have invested much of their lives in this arena. So it is important that the reader understand the context of the questions and answers and sidebar conversations that took place before, during, and after the briefing, to put it in context.
It would be easy after reading this transcript and others during the meeting to put the blame for antiquated PNT equipment on the manufacturers. But nothing could be farther from the truth. The truth is, the culprits here are numerous but identifiable. They are:
1. Outdated government regulations, directives and procurement/acquisition procedures that seriously hamper equipment manufacturers from doing their best and updating equipment as necessary.
2. Timelines that totally ignore the dynamics of Murphy’s Law — a law of ever-shrinking timelines battling a glacial process of ever-increasing requirements bounded by antiquated procurement procedures and fiscal indecision.
In the case of military user equipment (MUE), the warfighters, first responders, and government users are the unfortunate recipients of this morass of near-pandemonium and downright confusion. Dynamic and critical user requirements are sacrificed upon the altar of “the program of record” and an agonizingly glacial government bureaucracy. Be assured that the “program of record” delivered exactly what was asked for by the original RFP and subsequent contract award.
Take Rockwell Collins for instance. Rockwell is a great company, building rugged, reliable, precision instruments. I have flown with Rockwell communications and aviation equipment in various aircraft cockpits for the last 40 years, and they are indeed the gold standard in that arena. Rockwell has been delivering GPS military user equipment since 1978 and the company has always delivered exactly what was asked for. The problem is that the operational and refresh cycle for government user equipment needs is inside the acquisition cycle, and unfortunately exceeds it by a factor of ten — hence Murphy’s Law.
The Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) was an excellent device when conceived and was the only game in town as regards jamming and spoofing environments. I am confident that Rockwell would have continuously updated the DAGR and made it relevant today, given the opportunity, which they were not.
In my opinion, government regulations in the area of user equipment, especially electronics and highly dynamic technological areas, need to be drastically altered to follow the aircraft procurement cycle. For example, there are probably 50 or more different block versions of the F-16 aircraft, that in truth are radically different. In some respects the “Block 1” F-16 resembles the capabilities of the “Block 50” version only in that it is an airborne vehicle with wings, engine, and a fuselage. Electronically and technically, it is a totally different aircraft. But the contracts for General Dynamics and now Lockheed Martin were not recompeted every time the user requirements, and hence the capabilities of the F-16 changed. I hope you all agree that would be ludicrous — and yet that is exactly the situation with MUE. When the scope changes, the contracts are painfully and laboriously recompeted, with lag times that make the process laughable — if indeed it were not so sad.
Then there is the government’s serious lack of information and training concerning MUE devices. I have been around GPS user equipment for 35 years and yet I am sure I still do not understand all the capabilities of the Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver (PLGR) and DAGR. Imagine how befuddled a young warfighter becomes when given the devices and only a cursory amount of training, that is not only inadequate but sadly many times misleading or just flat wrong.
In our interviews we founds trainers — those that taught warfighters how to use the PLGR and DAGR — who were not aware the unit could be “keyed” or encrypted for greater accuracy. Of course we also found excellent trainers, but they were the exception to the rule. Who trains the trainers?
Although it sounds trite and seems to be a copout, don’t blame the equipment manufacturers for the current state of MUE. Blame the system and then get involved and help us change it to what it should be.
Good morning, everyone.
A special thanks to Jim Miller, Dr. James Schlesinger and Dr. Bradford Parkinson for inviting me to speak this morning on the future trends of PNT user equipment, particularly as it pertains to warfighters and first responders — certainly a subject I have been passionate about for only…oh, let’s say about 35 years.
Why GPS World?
Ever since the agenda for the PNT Advisory Board meeting appeared online, I have been receiving emails and phone calls asking why I was speaking not as one of the IDA (Institute for Defense Analyses) subject-matter experts on GPS but as the Contributing Editor for Defense for GPS World. Frankly, the answer is simple. Wearing the GPS World hat gives me the freedom to say what needs to be said today, whereas the IDA think tank attribution and publication rules, which are absolutely necessary for an FFRDC (Federally Funded Research and Development Center) to operate effectively and efficiently, would unduly restrict my comments.
Plus, for 21 years GPS World magazine has been the publisher of the definitive GPS user equipment survey for global users. It’s free for everyone to use, and it covers PNT receiver information from 55 global manufacturers with data on all aspects of 502 PNT receivers. And it is a great boon for me personally, as I only receive on average about 50+ emails or letters per month from users simply wanting to know what GPS/PNT receiver they should purchase. It is wonderful to be able to point them to the GPS World Receiver Survey.
Also wearing my GPS World hat, I can easily refer to the several thousand warfighter and first responder inputs we have received over the last 10 years — generally expressing what they would like to see in a GPS/PNT receiver or sometimes specifically the Perfect Handheld PNT Transceiver (PHPNTT), which I first wrote about six years ago (and most recently in December) in GPS World magazine.
Top 10 Warfighter – First Responder Requirements for the PHPNTT
Adhering strictly to the latest fad in government briefing formats, it is now time for me to BLUF, or give you the Bottom Line Up Front. However, being a journalist, I also have to hold something back for the end. So here are the top 10 PHPNTT requirements, in order of preference, as submitted over the last 10 years by thousands of warfighters and first responders:
Mil-Spec rugged – solid state drive – no moving parts
Friendly, intuitive, familiar interface – easy to use
Multi-GNSS – All signals available – space and terrestrial
SWAP friendly, long battery life, with solar charger
Real-time 3D map data, NGA, Google, satellite imagery
Not a stand-alone PNT device
Embedded in a computer with multiple communication capabilities – one must be secure
Must be able to download, store and utilize new applications
Software-defined and expandable
Act as a sensor with automatic reporting
All these “user requirements” are closely related to what our warfighters and first responders don’t like about the current GPS MUE or Global Positioning System Military User Equipment. I state that specifically because, make no mistake about it, the current MUE is strictly GPS-based. However, the current MUE only receives two of the many signals available today on the GPS SVs, and certainly not any of the other numerous PNT (position, navigation and timing) signals also available, which of course is the crux of the issue for user equipment of the future.
Most of the top 10 requirements, and there were more than 50 requirements identifiable in all, are self-explanatory, and time does not permit me to cover them all in detail. But bear with me for a couple of quick explanations. Certainly the rugged requirement is readily understandable, and there are numerous manufacturers around the globe today that make excellent Mil-Spec rugged devices. However, the one I am most familiar with and have been extremely happy with are the rugged units from Trimble Navigation produced in Corvallis, Oregon. Trimble also happen to be a certified SAASM (Selective Availability and Anti-Spoofing Module) supplier as well. More on those units later.
The second bullet concerns the human-machine interface on the current MUE, which is so poor that a Marine three-star wrote me a few years ago to say that in his opinion, “If anyone wants an example of how not to design an operational equipment interface then they should refer to the PLGR or DAGR. Both are consistently and sufficiently horrendous, in my opinion.” I could not have said it better. The PLGR and DAGR use the gold standard for PNT as a signal, but the human-machine interface (HMI) is, in my opinion and in the opinion of thousands of warfighters, so antiquated and non-user friendly as to be almost unuseable. However, the units do work well and provide outstanding signals when embedded with other equipment. They just do not work well as a handheld device. The other items on the list we will cover as we proceed through the briefing.
GPS MUE Historical Perspective
I have been involved with GPS user equipment for the last 35 years, and this behemoth of a receiver was my first unforgettable encounter.
Yes, this huge device is GPS user equipment. Can you imagine? It weighs more than 300 pounds, without the two operators, and was the very first workable GPS receiver produced for the U.S. military by Rockwell Collins, who has been producing GPS MUEs ever since. Which is an example of the prodigious acquisition issues that also need to be addressed, or corrected, if you will. Our antiquated acquisition practices are to blame for many of the failings in MUE equipment today. While I feel it is critical to mention this as a major contributing factor to the state of MUE today, it is also a story for another time.
Other than being the first GPS MUE, the significance of this huge receiver is that in my estimation it is the first and last time the U.S. military possessed a purpose-built military GPS receiver clearly superior to the products being produced by commercial and civil manufacturers for global users.
First Significant Usable and Transportable GPS Civilian Receiver
Fortunately, a good friend and colleague, both at IDA and ION (Institute of Navigation), Philip Ward, came to the rescue of all GPS users in 1981 when he delivered the TI 4100 NAVSTAR Navigator Multiplex Receiver.
The TI 4100 was indeed the first commercially viable receiver that could be considered a transportable by anything other than an aircraft. To be historically correct, there were some backpack models that were very short-lived and not as significant as the TI 4100. The main unit and two antennas weighed approximately 50 pounds and showed promise in station wagons and helicopters. I can see a few folks in the audience smiling, so I will reiterate that the TI 4100 was a significant milestone, both in SWAP (size, weight and power), accuracy and TTFF (time to first fix). TTFF was 15-20 minutes in search mode, however; after the four SVs were located and the unit was initialized, it could consistently present a fix location in just a couple of minutes. Plus, the TI 4100 was immune from most jamming signals of the day — an impressive receiver and accomplishment for 1981.
Evolution of Commercial GPS/PNT UE
Fast-forward several years and the following picture presents a view of how quickly GPS UE developed.
The first unit on the right in the above photo is a Trimble unit that was about the same size as the TI 4100, but considerably more capable. As you follow the units around counter clockwise, you will see that they decrease in size and weight, but what you can’t see is that they also increase incredibly where acquisition and processing speed (TTFF), accuracy and capability are concerned. Note also that you start to see stand-alone units that appear to be antennas with separate handheld display units. This is a feature the commercial manufacturers incorporated over 20 years ago, and in some respects a feature the MUE manufacturers and services are just now considering.
Note also the Garmin GPS wrist receiver (right), which until 2005 was the most prevalent civil receiver in both of the wartime AORs (Area of Responsibility). Compare this Garmin wrist unit to the 300-pound Rockwell Collins unit I first showed you and consider that where SWAP and performance are concerned, the wrist unit is hundreds of times more capable and portable.
Current MUE – Program of Record and the Future
The pictures below depict the current MUE – Program of Record equipment, again both manufactured by, you guessed it, Rockwell Collins. First is the PLGR or the Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver. Second is the DAGR or Defense Advanced GPS Receiver. The third unit, known simply as the “Puck,” is what the U.S. Army would like to field in the next couple of years along with that separate display unit I spoke of earlier. Starting to sound very commercial, right? By the way, the Puck measures only 2 x 2 x 1/2 inches and weighs just a few ounces.
Between the PLGR, which was decertified by the Marine Corps in 2010, and the DAGR, there are approximately 500,000 of these MUE devices fielded today, and yet almost none of them are utilized as handhelds. Our research shows that indeed only 1 in 40 is used as a true stand-alone handheld. Most DAGRs are primarily used to interface with legacy communications equipment, primarily U.S. Army, that calls for fire support, read ordnance, and all the others are either stored or embedded with other equipment, which means the “horrendous user interface,” a common warfighter description, is not a major issue. The bottom line is the DAGR is very good at what it does, it is just that what it does (warfighter quote) “…stopped being functional, when compared with other more capable PNT equipment, almost the day is was delivered to the AOR in 2005.”
While the Puck is certainly a major improvement in SWAP and concept, it essentially provides the same two GPS signals and SAASM capability as provided by the DAGR, just in a smaller form factor, and it does away with the continuously vilified user interface. The Puck technology totally ignores current-day PNT, multi-GNSS platforms and the other 160 PNT signals available today. Review the GPS World 2013 Receiver Survey and you will only find a handful of receivers that are so incredibly limited, and they are invariably produced, you guessed it, for the U.S. government as part of a GPS program or alternate program of record.
MUE: How Not to Build a PNT Device, or Why Warfighters Use Garmins and iPhones
The list you are looking at now is comprised of the first 15 minutes of conversation with thousands of warfighters interviewed over the last 10 years — they just had to tell us what was wrong with the current MUE before they finally got around to telling us what, if they were king or queen for a day, they wanted to see in the PHPNTT. This is not my opinion but the actual words of the warfighters. First of all, understand that the PLGR is a single-frequency GPS-only receiver with a security module (PPS-SM) to access encrypted P(Y)-code for anti-jam purposes. It was initially fielded 1990-2004, replaced by the DAGR in 2005. There are approximately 165,000 PLGRs and 450,000 DAGRs fielded at a cost of more than $1 billion. Now the warfighter comments:
Both the PLGR and DAGR have an antiquated, proprietary OS and “extremely unfriendly — non-intuitive” user interface.
PLGR and DAGR are not functional as handheld units but function well as embedded devices — although typically not networked, and we are not even sure they can be networked.
Example: One STRYKER vehicle variant has nine separate DAGRs incorporated, each with its own antenna and operating totally independently of the others.
PLGR was decertified by U.S. Marine Corps in 2010 due to friendly-fire incidents.
DAGR used today primarily as embedded device only with a “ horrible user interface”:
Monochrome screen, no active maps, navigation direct waypoint only. Provides user with PNT information as coordinates — requires paper map to be an effective tool.
For other than straight-line navigation — time, distance and ETA are incorrect.
Programming/mission planning require special cables, software and a laptop computer.
Additional cables, radios and hardware are required for PLGR or DAGR to communicate.
Proprietary OS — no capability for additional programs to be added or utilize.
SWAP issues — large, heavy, limited battery life (multiple batteries) for typical missions.
TTFF — warm, approximately 2 minutes; cold with almanac download, 30+ minutes.
Position accuracy expressed as PDOP (1-6) on separate screen from PNT data. Nominal accuracy of a coded DAGR is typically about 1 meter or more.
Advantages: Anti-jam and legacy interface capabilities.
So, the bottom line as far as the warfighters are concerned is that if you want to operate legacy equipment that requires a GPS input, such as calling in “fires” or artillery or if you are in a jamming environment, then you need the DAGR or its capability. Our survey shows, however, that only 1 in 40 use the DAGR as a handheld, and yet every single one of our respondents — that’s 100 percent, a rarity in statistics — stated they had a backup unit, primarily a Garmin, until 2005, and then popular backup units were more than likely an iPhone, iPad or Trimble unit.
One of the Most Popular PNT Devices in Theater Today – More than 365M Sold to Date
Today there is no question concerning the most prevalent PNT unit in both AORs. It is, you guessed it, the Apple iPhone and/or the Apple iPad. Let’s take a brief look at the capabilities of this non-ruggedized but still amazing device, which can easily be made Mil-Spec rugged with aftermarket cases and enclosures such as those produced by Otterbox, which I have personally tested and reviewed numerous times.
The attributes you see listed here are for the iPhone and iPad, and are those that assist in some aspect of PNT and/or integrity and accuracy.
Assisted GPS SBAS — WAAS (PNT)
Assisted GLONASS — (SBAS) (PNT)
Digital compass (PN)
Wi-Fi (Communications-Data + PNT)
Cellular (Communications-Data + PNT)
Bluetooth (Communications-Data + PNT)
Skyhook Wireless (PNT)
Three-axis gyro (PN)
Accelerometer (PN)
Pedometer (PN) – Application
Internet (Communications-Data) Skype application (PNT)
Real-time accuracy and integrity representation (PN)
361+ navigation applications in the App Store ready for instant download and designed for iPhone and iPad. The majority of these applications are available at no cost to the user.
All this capability available in just four ounces — truly a SWAP and capability revolution.
Apple logo
Of course, what really makes the list of iPhone and iPad capabilities revealing is that the first two attributes alone more than double the number of PNT signals received and utilized by the iPhone versus the DAGR, and that number does not account for the GPS L2C (second civilian signal) and L5 (DOT safety of life signal) with CNAV, which when activated will be the strongest GPS signal broadcast to date. The CNAV data is an upgraded version of the original NAV or navigation message. It contains higher precision representation and nominally more accurate data than the nominal NAV data. There are 26 more PNT satellite signals available today in the iPhone and iPad, and they are comprised of multi-GNSS signals and augmentations. The kicker for me is that in addition to all the additional space signals are terrestrial signals, and almost any map or grid system the user desires. Plus there are apps (software applications) that translate between grid systems. And if you don’t like the interface of the navigation program you are using, then there are literally 360+ other choices. I also find the pedometer function interesting, in that firefighters now use this capability along with the Blue Force Tracking app in buildings when they are momentarily without GPS, GLONASS (Russian GNSS), WAAS (U.S. Wide Area Augmentation System), EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) or other SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) signals.
Realistically, to defeat the current unencrypted MUE today, an adversary only has to jam one GPS signal, but to defeat the iPhone or iPad an adversary has to jam all the GPS signals, all the GLONASS signals, all the Wi-Fi signals, all the mobile 3G and 4G CDMA and GSM (read as different mobile telephone systems) signals and still the iPhone or iPad will use the accelerometer, gyro, compass and pedometer functions to determine position. Indeed, it will continue to function as a PNT device. All this in just four ounces at a cost about one-sixth of the DAGR displayed on a screen that has 100 times greater resolution and is in color. Remember, the DAGR has a monochrome screen. No contest. Plus try saying, “Take me home, Siri” to a DAGR and see what happens.
Garmin
What about Garmin, you ask? At the beginning of the current conflicts, Garmins were the prevailing additional PNT device. There are still thousands of them in theater, and they have saved many lives, as we will see. However, just look at this sales chart for smart PNT devices.
ProductsTotal Units Sold (approximate)
iPhone (since 2005) 250,600,000 (M)
iPad (since 2010) 115,000,000 (M)
Garmin Sales ~100,000,000 (M)
iPhone/iPad App Store (since 2008)
Downloads of the 361+ navigation apps 2,200,000,000+ (B)
(Note: Total App Store downloads will exceed 50 billion by the time this is published.)
The Future
The future of PNT devices globally, especially for warfighters and first responders, is clearly with rugged mobile devices capable of downloading, storing, updating and utilizing applications. The Garmin cannot do that, although it can be updated, and just look at the numbers. Garmin started business as a GPS device provider in 1989. In that time, while branching out into marine and aviation devices, some of the best in the world for those purposes, they are still primarily GPS only (with SBAS). They have sold approximately 100M devices in 24 years compared to Apple’s iPhone and iPad numbers, which total more than 365M devices in less than eight years. The iPad alone outsold all Garmin products in just three years. I confess that I happily own several Garmins, think that are fantastic PNT devices, and it is really tough to beat the $99 wrist Garmin. When all is said and done, the Garmin gives you better information in a non-jamming environment than the DAGR. And Garmin units are still saving lives. Take this vignette from SSG Kyle Dorsch:
“My name is SSG Kyle Dorsch…a Reconnaissance team leader in the 2-30 Infantry Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, deployed to the Logar province, Afghanistan. I have used my Garmin eTrex Vista H throughout my deployment…it has been a lifesaver in more than a literal sense. In fact, there isn’t a leader in our establishment without a Garmin product…my Garmin guided me and my four-man team seamlessly through some of the toughest areas of Afghanistan…it also literally saved my life.”
SSG Dorsch goes on to explain that the eTREX, which was placed strategically on his combat vest, actually stopped an enemy bullet meant for him, and just like Timex the eTREX kept on ticking.
My Obligatory Caveat
Note that SSG Dorsch has always had a Garmin with him in theater and indicates that his leadership has as well. There is no doubt the eTrex saved his life, literally. However, I would never tell a warfighter to not use their government-issued MUE. In a severe jamming environment, it may prove to be a lifesaver, and it may be the only equipment that interfaces with legacy communications and fire support equipment. Take that advice for what it is worth today, because hopefully this will not be the case much longer.
DARPA and Smart COTS Devices on the Battlefield Now
DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the real inventors of the Arpanet and the Internet), a much-storied DoD research arm, launched an effort recently called “Transformative Apps.” It developed a few dozen smart applications that work on a number of mobile devices. In addition to mapping, navigation and smart routes, the apps identify explosives and various weapons, and help navigate and locate parachute drops.
A screenshot of the DARPA Smart Routes application. The green routes are safe routes and the red are routes that have been traveled too many times or indicate where problems may exist.
DARPA builds prototypes that are transferred to the Services and become official applications used by hundreds of thousands of warfighters. The challenge is to rapidly adapt COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) technology to the unique circumstances of the military, which often operates over large, hostile areas with little to no formal communications infrastructure.
DARPA reports that more than 1,000 war fighters in Afghanistan now use the DARPA Transformative Apps technology as it continues to be rolled out to the Services.
The most interesting aspect of DARPA’s participation in PNT software is that it will definitely accelerate the multi-GNSS and all-signals-available scenario, because it is not constrained by woefully out-of-date DoD regulations. DARPA does what is smart, what cutting-edge technology will support, what makes sense, and ultimately what saves lives.
The U.S. Department of Defense expects in coming weeks to grant two separate security approvals for Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, along with iPhones and iPads running Apple’s latest operating system — moves that would boost the number of U.S. government agencies [ed. legally] allowed to use those devices.
In my humble opinion, this announcement is simply outstanding…albeit about 10 years late to need. Indeed, Ms. Teri Takai, the current DoD CIO (Chief Information Officer) gest it and is trying hard, but she can’t do all the heavy lifting alone.
Old Adages Die Hard
I remember an old GPS adage that portentously proclaimed, “If it is not supported on the GPS satellite, it cannot be supported in the user equipment.” Unfortunately, there are those still holding to this totally fallacious belief. Today in the current budget environment, amazing capabilities are being implemented with user equipment that multiply the capabilities of the PNT satellite, other satellites and space signals, terrestrial signals and synergistic augmentations. Indeed, the total price of the PLGR and DAGR program combined would barely pay for some NRE (non-recurring engineering) costs and two launches of the GPS III satellites that should be ready for launch in 2014. Today we need to look even harder at what is doable with user equipment, especially in the military, because it is all we can afford. As Winston Churchill was once quoted as saying, “Gentlemen, we have run out of money; now we have to think.” However, having said that, let’s not forget that the multi-GNSS environment has multiplied many fold the number and capabilities of PNT signals on orbit today.
PNT User Equipment TRENDS — Space SIGNALS available
Jim Doherty, USCG Captain retired, and I are friends and colleagues at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). We are both old retired navigators as well. We both still have the skills to successfully navigate an aircraft or ship, for that matter, from San Francisco to Tokyo using only a sextant. While we are proud of that talent or ability, one that very few possess today, we would much rather accomplish the feat with an exceptional multi-GNSS device, and they exist today like never before. These next lists show all the signals that are available today compared to what the GPS MUE can receive and use for PNT purposes. Plus, Jim and I both share a firm belief in another old navigators’ adage: Receive Everything – Trust Nothing!
Civil-commercial multi-GNSS UE receives more space and terrestrial signals than U.S. GPS MUE.
GPS MUE “officially” utilizes L1(CA), L2 P(Y) with SAASM.
There are NO commercially viable M-code receivers available today and there will not be for several years to come.
PNT civil UE philosophy: Track and use all PNT signals available.
GPS L1-CA/L2-codeless and ready for L2C, L5, L1C (GPS III & QZSS)
SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, GAGAN, SDCM) + NDGPS & many other augmentations
GLONASS L1/L2/L5
Galileo E1/E5 (CBOC & Alt BOC)
Compass B1/B2/B3 (carrier signals only- no full signal specifications)
And do not be deceived: there are plenty of PNT receivers available today to receive all these signals and they have existed for some time. Equipment manufacturers have been ready to receive, process and utilize all the GPS and multi-GNSS signals for years. For example, Trimble built and shipped an L2C receiver in 2003, and that signal has still not been activated on any U.S. GPS payloads although, as we heard from Major General Marty Whelan (USAF – AFSPC/A5) earlier today, General Shelton (USAF), the four-star commander at AFSPC (Air Force Space Command) has announced a six-week test of the L2C signal and full CNAV message in June of this year. A great step forward.
One of these days we might even catch-up with the Japanese – more on that in a moment.
Trimble built and shipped receivers for GLONASS signals in 2006, even though GLONASS did not reach FOC or Full Operational Capability until late in 2010. A designation it is having serious problems maintaining. Trimble also ships L5 receivers as well as commercial SBAS receivers that result in extremely accurate and reliable positions. Lest you think all these signals have gone to waste, remember that Japan’s QZSS-1 broadcasts both L2C and L5 with a full CNAV message today, and the Trimble receivers and others with the multi-GNSS capability work well with those signals, as we shall see.
Global Virtual Reference Stations
Trimble (VRS) and John Deere (StarFire) PNT receivers have the capability Trimble has designated as Global Virtual Reference Stations, which — along with real-time kinematic (RTK) processing — provide users with an unprecedented number of signals and a real-time processed signal with corrections. This results in centimeter-level accuracy for any of their receivers that have the capability to receive and process the signals. For both manufacturers, that will soon be almost all of their receivers. Sure, there will probably be a small monthly fee involved, but the accuracy difference between 1 meter (~3 feet) and 3 centimeters can mean life and death if you are unlucky enough to be in the collateral damage zone or in the sights of a Hellfire missile during war time.
Multi-GNSS SVs and Signals in View
To highlight this point, just glance at the following graphical log file generated by software in the latest Trimble Multi-GNSS PNT receiver. The chart depicts a log file from a receiver located in Singapore. The location is significant only because in that location the receiver is in full view of the Japanese QZSS-1 PNT SV and all its extra U.S. originated PNT signals (L2C & L5) mentioned earlier. This particular Trimble receiver is networked and reports results automatically and continuously to a web page, while receiving GVRS updates and corrections plus other PNT information, such as an updated almanac, over the same network. The question becomes, is it a PNT device with a computer and embedded communications? Or is it a computer with communications and an embedded PNT function? You be the judge. Regardless of which you choose, this is the future of PNT and MUE.
This civil receiver reports 40+ SVs with 169 separate signals in view and usable. This does not count the number of Wi-Fi and/or GVRS signals it is capable of receiving. Meanwhile, a GPS MUE receiver in the same location only observes a total of 10 SVs it can process for a total signal count of 20. However, one of the key points on this log depiction has to do with integrity. Notice the orange and red lines. They indicate that the receiver has labeled these signals as “suspect” and has automatically dropped them from the solution for any of a host of reasons — a failed integrity check, jamming, spoofing, wrong way path, a runaway clock, etc. You name it, and if it is suspicious, the receiver will drop that SV and its signals from its PNT calculations. Built-in integrity.
The obvious question becomes just how accurate is this Trimble receiver over a 24-hour period? The next graphical log file denotes that it is accurate within 3 centimeters.
Trimble multi-GNSS receiver web page log file denotes continuous availability of PNT signals with an average accuracy of 3 cms.
Assured PNT
When we asked warfighters what was more important to them in a combat zone — availability or accuracy of the PNT signals, the answer was, not surprisingly, both. But, of course, they need to receive the signal first, and then they can worry about accuracy.
So, if you were Ms. Teri Takai and you were worried about “assured PNT,” would you rather do that with 20 signals from 10 SVs or 169 signals from 49 SVs and some very strong, difficult to jam, terrestrial signals as well — adding up to, on average, 33 times more accuracy than the GPS-only signal? To me, the answer is obvious. And of course, all that is on the line with every mission the DoD performs, as is the safety of our critical national infrastructure as this next chart depicts.
Assured PNT or lack thereof impacts all missions, across all platforms and domains
Assured GPS MUE PNT today depends on:
L1(C/A), L2 P(Y), SAASM (Future M-Code)
Accuracy ~ 1m
Assured Multi-GNSS MUE PNT with all signals available depends on:
GPS L1/L2/L5/L1C/L2C/M-Code/SAASM
SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, GAGAN, SDCM+)
GLONASS L1/L2/L5
Galileo E1/E5 (CBOC & Alt BOC)
Compass B1/B2/B3
QZSS GEO – L1 CA/C/SAIF, L2C, L5, LEX Pilot
Two-way communications, Networking, PNT servers, each PNT device with unique IP address and each PNT device serves as a sensor
Software definable devices
Multiple software applications (Apps)
Accuracy ~ 3 cm
Army Making Strides
I spoke above about DARPA getting into the PNT business, and that is a good thing. But how about the largest military user of PNT, the United States Army? The U.S. Army is making some interesting changes as well. The Army announced a few months ago that there would be no more purchases of DAGRs, and that it was pursuing smartphones as a communications and small computing platform as well as an alternate PNT tool and display device. This is where the Puck comes into play.
While it is a wonderful idea I fully endorse, the problem with the Puck is that under the current design scheme it will still only transmit the current two GPS signals to a smartphone or other PNT display device. And warfighters lament that it is another device run by batteries for which our warfighters need to carry spares. Why not make the Puck a multi-GNSS device? we asked. The answer we received is that it would make it too power hungry and just require more batteries. So to misquote Shakespeare “…for want of a battery, the war was lost?” The Army is definitely on the right track, but they need to figure out how to make the Puck a multi-GNSS device. Can you say Lithium ION and solar charger – Hoorah!?
The Army Hub
The Puck is moving in the right direction. However, with the addition of another device, the Army is definitely on the right track. This device is designated the “Hub,” and while it is again GPS-oriented, it contains multiple terrestrial and internal signal augmentations and backups, as the image depicts.
With apologies to the U.S. Army, I unabashedly modified the chart, and I made it very obvious. The red text depicts my addition of a multi-GNSS card or module versus or in addition to the CGM (Common GPS Module) and GB-GRAM or Ground-Based GPS Receiver Application Module. The multi-GNSS card/module already exists today. Several PNT receiver manufacturers manufacture it with 28-nm technology versus the 95-nm technology — for the as-yet-unavailable for about four more years if the rumors are correct — GPS-only CGM. For me, the addition seems to be an easy fix, as there is lots of room in the Hub. But this fix or module (CGM) is years and millions of dollars down the road, versus a solution that exist today.
YUMA 2 or Hub or Both
The solution, frankly, is one of the smart tablets available today from numerous manufacturers — seven, actually, that have the wherewithal to produce a secure multi-GNSS device with a SAASM module.
The Trimble Yuma 2.
This is an example of the solution in the form of a Yuma 2 tablet computer from Trimble, which I am in the processing of reviewing for GPS World. The Yuma 2 has all the multi-GNSS features we have been discussing and more, plus it can in time accommodate all the modules scheduled to be incorporated into the Hub. Why build a whole new display device when the core already exists with many more capabilities than were imagined or real estate would ever allow for the Hub? Plus, it is available today as a rugged Mil-Spec device with a full color, high-resolution touch screen. And in the end it will provide a 3-cm solution versus a 1-meter solution. What more could you want? And it is available today with an outstanding and intuitive interface.
Conclusion – Services PNT UE Trends
I have been focusing on the Army today not simply because they are the biggest U.S. military user of PNT devices, but because they are moving in the right direction for the future of PNT and MUE devices. Of course, all the services and many agencies need a well-thought-out and secure PNT solution, and if we have learned anything it is that one size does not fit all. Indeed, our national security and our national infrastructure depend upon future PNT devices. For security purposes alone, they should have a certain degree of application and signal diversity.
Now let’s review:
Army has a way ahead with an assured PNT program.
Includes end of PLGR and DAGR and adding new networkable devices.
Plans for fourth-generation multi-GNSS and multi-function handheld devices and embedded PNT devices as sensors to include the Puck and Hub.
Marine Corps: Decertified PLGRs in 2009 and attempts to limit the use of DAGRs.
DAGRs used primarily as embedded devices.
Purchasing approved SAASM devices from commercial vendors.
USAF: Outfitted 70% of aircraft with modern, integrated, networkable and upgradeable PNT devices.
Navy: More than 60% of the fleet outfitted with modern PNT networked devices.
The Bottom Line is – One size does not fit all but one conclusion is clear – while GPS may and will always hopefully be the Gold Standard – multi-GNSS solutions are the future.
The Future of PNT Devices
This last list depicts the future of PNT as best as I can define it; indeed, as it has already been defined for us by our warfighters and first responders or, as Kirk Lewis would have me say, government users. The users are not waiting around, nor have they bothered to adhere to woefully out-of-date regulations. It is what they desire, and since their lives depend on it, it is what they should have.
Multi-GNSS — Utilize all PNT signals available.
Space and Terrestrial (GPS, GLONASS, eLORAN).
Traditional and non-traditional (Wi-Fi, GVRS, carrier signals).
Multi-function COTS devices with non-proprietary OS (operating System), intuitive interfaces and Mil-Spec ruggedized.
Multiple methods of communications: Wi-Fi, Skype, 4G, text, auto-text, satellite.
Software Downloads – Applications
COTS applications plus .mil apps store.
Networked devices for SA, updates and PNT,
Real-time satellite imagery and mission data injects.
Defense and intelligence LBS.
Each device will be a sensor on a network,
Automatically report jamming, interference and location data.
Utilize SAASM and anti-jam military signals only as required.
Thanks you for your time and kind attention today. And remember, Happy Navigating!
Whatever happed to Allen Osborne Associates (AOA)? As a 1994 report (seeking a receiver for a “GPS Sounder” task) stated, “Signal-to-noise ratio tests of three high-performance GPS receivers in severe multipath conditions clearly show the Alllen Osborne Associates TurboRogue SNR-8000 is superior in locking and tracking C/A, P1 and P2 codes at very low receiver-to-satellite elevation angles.”
The advanced features of the TurboRogue may well have been key in AOA receivers being used for a large number of ground reference applications, including Monitor Station Receivers for the U.S. Air Force GPS Operational Control Segment (OCS).
Just to refresh your memory, AOA was acquired in 2004, and the GPS group now resides and thrives within the Communication Systems Division of ITT Exelis Corporation (ITT). Those AOA products and technology have contributed to the ITT military GPS receiver group in Van Nuys, California, becoming a leading SAASM receiver supplier.
ITT Exelis also has a Geospatial Systems group headquartered in Rochester, New York, which is home to the GPS Payload, Receiver and Control Systems group who are currently developing the ground reference receiver as part of the Raytheon team for the next-generation GPS Operational Control Segment (OCX).
Geospatial Systems has also been continuously involved in the supply of GPS payloads on every GPS satellite launched and has accumulated more than 500 years of on-orbit payload life.Geospatial Systems is also part of the Lockheed Martin team that is developing and building the satellite payloads for tomorrow’s GPS III space segment. ITT is developing and integrating the navigation payloads for eight GPS IIIA satellites.
An Exelis SINCGARS radio.
SINCGARS
SINCGARS
So, today, ITT boasts that it is the only GPS systems developer to have been a key contributor to all three GPS program segments (space, OCS and user) with both legacy and modernized equipment.
The receiver guys in Van Nuys have fielded a series of SAASM-based receivers over the years, beginning with the EGR-1020 which has gone into a large number of SINCGARS radio systems.. This adds position and GPS time-sync to each radio terminal. The handheld control display allows each radio operator to see the location in real-time of all SINCARS-equipped friendly force groups, providing active situational awareness on the battlefield.
The EGR-2000 Small Serial Interface (SSI) SAASM receiver.
The next generation EGR-2000 Small Serial Interface (SSI) SAASM receiver has been integrated into “an in-country GPS designed and manufactured system of a U.S. International Ally,” and can be found in terminals, radios and handhelds.
This brings us to the current ITT receiver product — known as the EGR-2500. ITT-funded IR&D investment in more integration and miniaturization has reduced the size of the EGR-2500 to half that of the SSI receiver. With the same capability to track through reduced signal levels and producing high-precision carrier phase and pseudorange, its not surprising that the EGR-2500 has found a few new OEM applications.
Both Geodetics and Technology Advancement Group (TAG) have worked with ITT to integrate the EGR-2500 into their products in order to achieve centimeter-level RTK positioning. The EGR provides high-quality, variable rate observations at up to 10 Hz for up to 24 different satellite signals, and this allows Geodetics and TAG to offer anti-spoofing RTK performance. With the addition of external inertial aiding, the EGR is also able to maintain a high quality RTK solution even under high dynamics.
The ITT EGR-2500.
But the SAASM receiver world is becoming even more competitive, and ITT is responding by maintaining its IR&D investment in yet another generation of receiver. The main objective is to even further improve power consumption and performance. A pair of ARM 9 processors has been added, along with circuitry that is software-controlled to reduce power to blocks not being used, so the next-generation EGR will have reduced size, weight and cost and is targeted to consume 500 milliwatts in low-power mode. The new enhanced correlator array design will also dramatically reduce time-to-first fix, and with today’s operational environment in mind, a front end filter has been added to reduce the effects of interference and jamming.
So anti-spoofing with reduced interference and jamming — sounds like a good solution for UAVs and others operating in a hostile environment. From a rack of monitoring equipment to a single board 1.1 gram OEM module, and more integration underway for the next generation receiver — another example of electronic GNSS evolution in action…
A new SAASM receiver with multiple key features is set to play a major role in the UAS/UAV market, as well as those traditional weapons programs where SAASM has been employed in the past. The maker, L-3, has also taken a “commercial” approach to bringing those greater capabilities to authorized military users.
At the Association for Unmanned Vehicles International (AUVSI) convention in Las Vegas in August, it seemed that everybody and anybody in the industry was either there with a booth or was walking the exhibit.
So picking and choosing the subject for this article was tough, and we may have to run one or more follow-on pieces on unmanned aerial vehicles/systems (UAV/UAS) in the future.
We ended up selecting a notable breakthrough in SAASM technology with direct applications in the UAV/UAS world as the big news from AUVSI. True, L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation (L-3/IEC) did announce and demonstrate its TruTrak receiver at the Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) in June in Colorado Springs, but given the focus on threats to GNSS and the explosion of interest in UAV/UAS, we felt we should look into this achievement a little closer.
There was a buzz on the floor and in the conference related to civil applications of UAS/UAVs and the coming need for civil certification — somewhat fueled by the appearance and opening pitch by no less than acting U.S. Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta. But while civil certification is still a couple of years off, the business of UAV/UAS today is still to supply the military with advanced and flexible unmanned vehicles, which can take on what seems like virtually any task — principally using GPS for guidance.
L-3/IEC has been developing GPS-based guidance and navigation products for more than 20 years. In the process, IEC has become a recognized leader in SAASM and modernized GPS, and has produced and fielded more than 60,000 SAASM-based GPS receivers for a number of programs, including the Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) radio, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), and precision-guided munitions including M982 Excalibur, XM1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK), and the Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI).
Typically the PGK turns “dumb bombs” and artillery shells into precision guided munitions — this is now commonplace in the U.S. weapons arsenal — while L-3/IEC has been a significant contributor to the improvements in accuracy and reliability that these weapons have brought to modern warfare.
Nevertheless, L-3/IEC’s largest volume program has been more oriented to saving lives — the CSEL program has provided military pilots with emergency location and communications capability. CSEL’s advanced technology is credited with saving many lives by increasing U.S. forces’ ability to reach and rescue isolated pilots or combat personnel faster than earlier survival radios have previously permitted. CSEL is DoD’s program for personnel recovery survival radios — all services use it. The Navy and the Army purchased most of the early CSEL variants and the Air Force is currently fielding radios to active-duty, Guard, and Reserve organizations.
Now, enter the L-3/IEC next-generation TruTrak SAASM receiver, which is something of an anomaly in today’s world of military products developed through the mil-spec procurement system.
Typically a supplier will bid against a requirement and, if successful, goes on to develop and build something exactly meeting those requirements — no more, no less.
Well, the background to this GB-GRAM Type II receiver evolution instead involves significant L-3/IEC internal IR&D investment — and a desire to considerably exceed the existing requirements. Knowing that commercial receivers already blow the doors off most mil-spec receivers in terms of capability and performance, L-3/IEC set out to create a new level of capability for the military market.
Given that the environment this receiver will live in now has high electromagnetic interference (EMI) and jammers, the first place IEC focused was on the RF front-end. While focusing on robust RF performance, the near in-band and out-of-band interference rejection was improved considerably. And fully shielding the whole receiver lead to a much quieter receiver in terms of radiated EMI and susceptibility to external EMI. The applications L-3/IEC is targeting also require more flexibility in antenna choices, so along with the existing passive antenna capability, they improved the supported active antenna range all the way out to 0-40 dB. This now gives TruTrak much greater integration flexibility and this means more places where it can readily be used.
The other major improvements came on the digital side. Existing GB-GRAM receivers have quite limited interface capability. Eight serial ports were included, and with three processors on-board, there is significant integration capacity for data from external aiding sensors. The typical mix that’s been demonstrated includes a Honeywell inertial, a low-cost MEMS inertial, and an altimeter. This allows a lot of flexibility in building a high-integrity nav solution for mil UAV/UAS — but L-3’s targeted market is not exactly for nav systems on-board UAVs.
And the PowerPC processor which is available for user applications allows integrators to pull hardware out of their nav suite and integrate existing software solutions within the TruTrak receiver — in an on-board user capability that the commercial world has offered its OEM customers for many years. For UAV’s this is a godsend in potential space, power and weight savings.
L-3 still wants significant business in the UAV/UAS space — but their focus is on providing secure guidance for the weapons that mil UAVs now carry on a regular basis. This receiver is really small, lightweight, and highly capable, and L-3/IEC sees the added integration and performance of TruTrak winning them increased opportunities with UAV ordinance suppliers.
As we have seen, the existing SAASM receivers that L3 supplies have found a home with precision munitions/artillery, requiring performance under very high g’s, and with lightning fast acquisition. TruTrak is no exception, and this fast acquisition was demonstrated at JNC with 2-3 second direct P-code acquisition following time and data transfer. One of the new capabilities demonstrated was the addition of inertial and altimeter inputs when the signal strength of simulated satellites was reduced and poor DOP was added to replicate a GPS-challenged, signal-denied environment.
And L-3/IEC is involved in the M-code initiative as one of the Air Force Space and Missile Command’s developers of next-generation GPS user equipment. Modernized M-code GPS User Equipment (MGUE) is expected to provide significant tactical advantages and cost benefits to military users in the future. The TruTrak receiver design uses the same footprint for SAASM and M-code chipsets alike so that the receiver can be configured for either SAASM or M-code depending on which chipset is populated onto the board. This backward- and forward-compatible approach will help to ensure a seamless transition to next-generation M-code.
The other key ingredient is very high quality carrier phase measurements.
What’s that — using carrier-phase in a military UAV integrated solution?
Surely this is the last thing anyone in a uniform would want to do? Too much opportunity for jamming of radio links and/or detection by the enemy — these are the typical responses I’ve heard to using RTK in military applications. Well, that’s maybe how it used to be. Today’s UAVs use RTK for take-off and landing — generally in friendly territory, so RTK is a must. L-3/IEC could have taken on this segment of the market alone, but instead it chose to seek a partner and work with one of the industry’s best at civilian RTK — it partnered with NovAtel.
NovAtel’s dual-frequency receivers have been widely accepted into the UAV industry to provide high-quality RTK for precision take-off/landing/capture for a number of years. This position has been challenged, not only by equally capable GNSS competitors, but also by regulations which spell the end of waivers that permit the use of civilian C/A code receivers on mil UAVs. So NovAtel’s answer was to integrate the XFACTOR SAASM module (core DSP for TruTrak) onto the new OEM-6 dual-frequency receiver. This new receiver is known as the OEM625S, and is expected to hit the streets in production quantities after approvals are granted later this year.
With digital outputs that look exactly like those of their regular OEM dual-frequency receivers on board existing fielded UAVs, the OEM625S receiver will be readily integrated and will provide compliant SAASM capability for mil UAVs. NovAtel and L-3/IEC have agreed that NovAtel will lead UAV receiver sales efforts, particularly for RTK applications. L-3/IEC integrates the SAASM module on the NovAtel receiver and ships the receivers to military customers in the U.S. — so both share actively in this market.
So a new SAASM receiver. . . which on the face of it seems to have all the capabilities that you would normally associate with those of a commercial OEM dual-frequency receiver. And an equally innovative commercial partnering scheme for nav systems on UAVs . . . These are welcome departures from the norm for a defense contractor who appears to have matched its technical innovation with an innovative new approach to at least one new market segment. Let’s hope that real business growth comes out of L-3/IEC’s bold moves with TruTrak.
Geodetics Inc., in cooperation with Exelis, has announced the availability of a new Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) high-accuracy real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS capability. The new capability is based on a collaborative effort between the two companies.
It incorporates proven RTK technologies and products from Geodetics integrated with the high-precision and GPS security features of the Exelis SAASM.
The new Geodetics/Exelis offerings provide high-accuracy GPS capabilities using the military Precise Position Service (PPS) Y-code on both L1 and L2. The Exelis SAASM produces pseudorange and integrated carrier-phase observables at a selectable output rate. These observables are fully integrated into Geodetics' high-accuracy GPS technologies and is compatible with a full line of turn-key positioning and navigation products including inertial navigation (GPS/INS) and relative navigation systems, GPS-based attitude determination, GPS reference network/survey and post-processing tools.
The result is a cost-effective SAASM capability, integrated with a solution suite designed to support a wide range of positioning and navigation applications for manned and unmanned air, sea, and ground vehicles, the companies said.
"Geodetics is delighted to be working with Exelis. Our collaboration provides the authorized military user with turn-key solutions providing unprecedented centimeter-level position accuracy with full SAASM compliance," said Lydia Bock, Geodetics president and CEO.
The new OEM625S Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GNSS receiver from NovAtel, launched in a cooperative effort with SAASM expert L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation (IEC), will get its first applications in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector. NovAtel has brought forth the new product in part to meet requirements of UAV manufacturers who are now mandated to have SAASM onboard as well, for in-theater operations in areas of military activity.
“The new SAASM regulations meant that integrators were looking at having to incorporate another receiver alongside their NovAtel unit, complicating user interface factors and increasing onboard space requirements,” said NovAtel Product Manager Neil Gerein. “The OEM625S gives our customers a drop-in form factor that easily replaces their existing NovAtel OEM receiver.”
“NovAtel has supplied UAV integrators on the civil scientific side almost since our inception,” Gerein said, adding, “the military has become more and more involved in this market in recent years for budget and various other strategic reasons.” He mentioned that in its 20-year history selling GPS products, for the last 17 years NovAtel has provided receivers and expertise to U.S. and Canada defense contractors, and to defense research labs in Allied countries. Antcom, a wholly-owned NovAtel subsidiary specializing in antennas and microwave products, makes the majority of its sales into military areas.
Examples of such products in this area — not necessarily from NovAtel customers, who remain unidentified — include hand-launched mini-UAVs like the Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven and Elbit Skylark I, and runway-capable tactical UAVs such as Textron RQ-7 Shadow, Aeronautics DS Aerostar, IAI Searcher II, and InSitu’s ScanEagle UAV system, quickly evolving into a mainstay with the U.S. Navy and its allies thanks to a partnership with Boeing.
The InSitu ScanEagle was first developed to track dolphins and tuna from fishing boats, to ensure that fish labeled “dolphin-safe” actually are so. The same characteristics needed by commercial fishing boats — low infrastructure launch and recovery, small size, 20-hour long endurance, automated flight patterns — are key for naval operations from larger vessels, and for battlefield surveillance.
At present the OEM625S, combining a commercial dual-frequency NovAtel GNSS receiver with an L-3 IEC XFACTOR SAASM, provides single-point positioning with SAASM for authorized defense customers. The SAASM position is provided via a dedicated communication port, as well as through NovAtel’s software command protocol, allowing for maximum flexibility. The small form factor and low power consumption expands range of potential defense applications requiring robust SAASM GPS positioning.
The OEM625S measures 60 x 100 x 9.1 millimeters, and runs on field-upgradeable software. NovAtel will accept orders for the OEM625S from authorized customers starting in Q3 2012.
The new OEM625S Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GNSS receiver from NovAtel, launched in a cooperative effort with SAASM expert L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation (IEC), will get its first applications in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector. NovAtel has brought forth the new product in part to meet requirements of UAV manufacturers who are now mandated to have SAASM onboard as well, for in-theater operations in areas of military activity.
“The new SAASM regulations meant that integrators were looking at having to incorporate another receiver alongside their NovAtel unit, complicating user interface factors and increasing onboard space requirements,” said NovAtel Product Manager Neil Gerein. “The OEM625S gives our customers a drop-in form factor that easily replaces their existing NovAtel OEM receiver.”
“NovAtel has supplied UAV integrators on the civil scientific side almost since our inception,” Gerein said, adding, “the military has become more and more involved in this market in recent years for budget and various other strategic reasons.” He mentioned that in its 20-year history selling GPS products, for the last 17 years NovAtel has provided receivers and expertise to U.S. and Canada defense contractors, and to defense research labs in Allied countries. Antcom, a wholly-owned NovAtel subsidiary specializing in antennas and microwave products, makes the majority of its sales into military areas.
Examples of such products in this area — not necessarily from NovAtel customers, who remain unidentified — include hand-launched mini-UAVs like the Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven and Elbit Skylark I, and runway-capable tactical UAVs such as Textron RQ-7 Shadow, Aeronautics DS Aerostar, IAI Searcher II, and InSitu’s ScanEagle UAV system, quickly evolving into a mainstay with the U.S. Navy and its allies thanks to a partnership with Boeing.
The InSitu ScanEagle was first developed to track dolphins and tuna from fishing boats, to ensure that fish labeled “dolphin-safe” actually are so. The same characteristics needed by commercial fishing boats — low infrastructure launch and recovery, small size, 20-hour long endurance, automated flight patterns — are key for naval operations from larger vessels, and for battlefield surveillance.
At present the OEM625S, combining a commercial dual-frequency NovAtel GNSS receiver with an L-3 IEC XFACTOR SAASM, provides single-point positioning with SAASM for authorized defense customers. The SAASM position is provided via a dedicated communication port, as well as through NovAtel’s software command protocol, allowing for maximum flexibility. The small form factor and low power consumption expands range of potential defense applications requiring robust SAASM GPS positioning.
The OEM625S measures 60 x 100 x 9.1 millimeters, and runs on field-upgradeable software. NovAtel will accept orders for the OEM625S from authorized customers starting in Q3 2012.
L-3 Communications announced that its Interstate Electronics Corporation (L-3 IEC) business successfully completed multiple test firings of its next-generation Military Code (M-Code) GPS receiver technology. The milestone represents a significant breakthrough in GPS receiver modernization and validates the unit’s survivability and performance in extreme, guided munitions environments, according to the company.
L-3’s gun-hardened, next-generation M-Code GPS receiver prototype was fired from a 155-mm howitzer and tracked the M-Prime signal from several modernized satellites to successful target impacts. This represents the first-ever use of the M-Code GPS technology in a weapon system, and provides critical validation of the hardware and software performance in a projectile.
The successful test supports a Congressional mandate to implement M-Code technology on all future and existing U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) platforms and their objectives for technical innovations capable of offsetting future threats. L-3’s new design presents a flexible hardware and software configuration for GPS integrators and is capable of tracking legacy and modernized signals. The receiver will be applicable on a variety of host platforms, including guided munitions, unmanned aerial systems, soldier systems and ground mobile systems.
The advanced features of the TurboRogue may well have been key in AOA receivers being used for a large number of ground reference applications, including Monitor Station Receivers for the U.S. Air Force GPS Operational Control Segment (OCS).
