USAF/LM Team Celebrates Success of GPS IIR Program

- Final sattelite is readied for shipment to Cape Canaveral for June launch
- Satellite Includes Demonstration Payload for New Third Civil Signal

(King of Prussia, Pa., April 3, 2008) -- In a ceremony heralding the success of the U.S. Air Force's Global Positioning System Block IIR modernization effort (GPS IIR-M), Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] today announced it has completed work on the last satellite in the program constellation, which features a demonstration payload that will transmit the new civil signal, known as L5. Preparations are now underway to ship the satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. for a scheduled launch in June 2008.

With over 150 of its employees as well as representatives from ITT Corporation, the Aerospace Corporation and the U.S. Air Force, the Lockheed Martin team today celebrated the success of the GPS IIR program, which is providing enhanced operations and navigation signal performance for military and civilian GPS users around the globe.

Work on the final IIR-M satellite was completed one month ahead of schedule and in less than one year after the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $6-million contract to develop the demonstration payload that will transmit a third civil signal located on the L5 frequency (1176.45MHz). The signal will comply with international radio frequency spectrum requirements. Future generations of GPS spacecraft will include an operational third civil signal to improve the accuracy and performance capabilities of the system.

"The entire team is proud of this historic milestone and our partnership with the Air Force on what has been a highly successful program with many technical innovations," said Don DeGryse, Lockheed Martin's vice president of Navigation Systems. "As the last in a line of eight modernized IIR spacecraft, this satellite will provide a timely demonstration of the new third civil signal and we look forward to achieving mission success for our customer."

Source : Lockheed Martin

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