NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (User Equipment) (SPACE)

The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (User Equipment) (SPACE) program, managed by the Department of the Air Force and funded under Program Element 1203164SF, is focused on the research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) of advanced military GPS user equipment. The primary objective is to ensure that U.S. and allied military forces have access to resilient, secure, and modernized Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilities, especially in contested environments where adversaries may attempt to disrupt or degrade GPS signals. This program supports the integration of new receiver technologies across a wide range of military platforms, including ground vehicles, aircraft, maritime vessels, and handheld devices.

Military Global Positioning System User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 1 is a foundational effort within this program, tasked with developing standardized, modernized GPS receiver form factors for lead platforms. The goal is to deliver receivers that are resistant to jamming and spoofing, and capable of operating in Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) environments. MGUE Inc 1 has completed major development milestones, including the certification of readiness for operational testing on platforms such as the Army's Gray Eagle UAV and the Navy's Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The program's objectives include integrating these receivers into lead platforms, resolving deficiencies identified during testing, and ensuring system resiliency against evolving threats.

Advanced Technology/Pre-Tech activities within the program focus on maturing next-generation technologies for future military GPS receivers. These efforts aim to enhance receiver resiliency, reduce size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C), and introduce innovative anti-jam and anti-spoofing capabilities. Objectives include the integration of Modernized Protection Device (MoPD) software, development of multi-GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) algorithms, and exploration of advanced hardware such as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). Collaboration with international partners is also a key component, with the goal of developing resilient and assured PNT technologies that can be fielded rapidly and cost-effectively.

MGUE Increment 2 builds upon the achievements of Inc 1 by expanding M-Code receiver technology into additional applications, such as precision-guided munitions, handheld devices, and aviation/maritime platforms. The objectives for Inc 2 include risk reduction, rapid prototyping of Miniature Serial Interface (MSI) receiver cards, and the development of a Joint Modernized Handheld (JMHH) device. The program also addresses obsolescence in earlier ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) components, ensuring long-term producibility and compatibility. The Inc 2 effort is structured in multiple phases, including risk reduction, rapid prototyping, software pathway development, and targeted prototyping for handheld and aviation/maritime receivers.

Information Assurance, Security/Compatibility Certification, and Test/Evaluation are critical objectives across both increments. The program is responsible for developing and maintaining security certifications for all GPS receivers, ensuring that equipment meets stringent requirements for protecting Critical Program Information (CPI) and maintaining operational integrity in all environments. This includes ongoing security evaluations for both legacy and modernized receivers, cryptographic key management, and compliance with military and aviation standards. These activities are essential to guarantee that military GPS receivers remain secure, interoperable, and effective against emerging threats.

MGUE Inc 2 Miniature Serial Interface (MSI) Receiver Card Rapid Prototyping is a major thrust within Increment 2, aiming to deliver low size, weight, and power (SWaP) M-Code capable GPS receiver cards suitable for embedded ground users. The objective is to develop, integrate, and test these cards with Next Gen ASICs, ensuring backward compatibility with Inc 1 while addressing obsolescence. The program emphasizes rapid prototyping, intellectual property maturation, and system resiliency to support joint warfighters in contested domains.

MGUE Inc 2 Handheld and Aviation/Maritime Receiver Card efforts are focused on developing modernized, joint handheld receivers and aviation/maritime receiver cards with enhanced anti-jam and anti-spoof capabilities. The handheld initiative seeks to reduce development risk through rapid prototyping and joint service demonstrations, while the aviation/maritime effort will conduct risk reduction studies and market analysis to define requirements and support future prototyping. Both lines are designed to ensure that new receiver technologies can be fielded quickly and effectively across diverse military applications, maintaining U.S. and allied PNT superiority in increasingly contested operational environments.