Northrop Grumman Submits Proposal to Revolutionize Global Positioning System

By Antonio Percy

Reston, Va., June 22, 2009, The Northrop Grumman Corporation Global Positioning System (GPS) Advanced Control Segment (OCX) team on June 20 submitted its proposal to the U.S. Air Force for the OCX Phase B contract. The Northrop Grumman proposal draws upon the team's decades of navigation experience, years of OCX risk reduction activities and a successful Phase A demonstration performance.

The Northrop Grumman team has worked hand-in-hand with the Air Force GPS Wing over the course of the 22-month Phase A contract and has now provided a comprehensive plan, cutting-edge technologies and innovative ideas for the advanced control segment. GPS is fully embedded into U.S. military operations, American commercial practices and civilian uses.

"The Northrop Grumman team -- in close collaboration with the Air Force -- has developed the most compelling, technologically fresh solution for the GPS Wing's new advanced control segment," said Linda Mills, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector. "Northrop Grumman's low-risk solution meets the current and future needs for this vital American technology."

The Air Force is developing OCX to improve precision, navigation and timing services provided to military, civil, commercial and personal users around the world. With its information assured, net-centric architecture and expandable design, OCX will unlock unused capabilities of existing GPS satellites, control the next generation GPS IIIA, and offer new GPS capabilities to authorized users. The Air Force is on track to put OCX into operation by 2014.

"The Northrop Grumman team's proposal illustrates our commitment to long-term GPS mission success and will dramatically enhance system performance, increase system flexibility and lower lifecycle costs," Mills said.

Northrop Grumman's Team OCX includes Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services, Gaithersburg, Md.; Harris Corporation, Melbourne, Fla; Integral Systems Inc., Columbia, Md.; and Infinity Systems Engineering, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.