PNT Resiliency, Mods, and Improvements

PE 0604201F: PNT Resiliency, Mods, and Improvements is a program element within the Air Force's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, specifically under Budget Activity 4: Advanced Component Development & Prototypes (ACD&P). The primary goal of this program is to enhance the resiliency of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilities for Air Force and joint weapon systems. This is achieved through the development, qualification, and testing of Enhanced Anti-Jam (EAJ) Military Code (M-Code) GPS receivers, which are critical for maintaining operational effectiveness in contested environments.

The principal project under this program element focuses on developing GPS M-Code receivers with EAJ capabilities, which are essential for weapon systems to operate in adversarial Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) environments. These receivers are designed to provide increased accuracy, improved signal acquisition, and advanced security, thereby ensuring continued precision and lethality of Air Force weapons. The project encompasses research, development, qualification, testing, and mission planning for integrating M-Code receivers across the weapons portfolio.

The program supports a Family of Systems (FoS) acquisition strategy, where weapons prime contractors develop receivers capable of operating in any Air Force weapon system. This approach leverages common Interface Requirements Specifications (IRS), Technology Requirement Documents (TRD), and threat scenarios to ensure interoperability and flexibility. The acquisition strategy utilizes various contract types depending on the phase of development, including Technology Maturation & Risk Reduction (TMRR), development, and production, with risk-based adjustments as needed.

A key justification for the program is the need to satisfy Department of Defense (DoD) and civil mandates for PNT resiliency, particularly in the face of emerging threats and adversarial jamming. The fielding of EAJ M-Code weapons requires updates to weapon mission planning software and integration of new receiver technologies into all relevant systems, subsystems, and support activities. Additionally, the program is structured to address Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS), ensuring continued availability and reliability of critical components.

Funding under PE 0604201F also supports compliance with financial audit requirements as mandated by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D. While the program may include necessary civilian pay expenses for management and execution, no such expenses were budgeted or expended in FY 2024 or planned for FY 2025. The program element provides flexibility in funding and planning by sharing a common development Program Element (PE) across weapon system offices, with transitions to individual PEs for receiver integration, operational testing, and production.

Specific accomplishments in FY 2024 include the development of common weapons M-Code receivers for the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), with contracts awarded to Raytheon (Tucson, AZ) and Consortium Management Group (Washington, DC), respectively. The funding increase for SDB II in FY 2024 was driven by the development and integration of HAMMER and CAAP ASIC technologies into SDB II and Tactical Tomahawk systems. These efforts are closely coordinated with the Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) program to leverage ongoing technology advancements.