Editorial Advisory Board Q&A: What will OCX bring?

What improvements will the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) bring?

Ellen Hall

“The OCX system is a part of an enormous modernization effort to enhance the ground control segment of the current GPS. This enhancement alone increases accuracy, but coupled with modernized satellites, the next generation OCX will increase and improve coverage and security of GPS. In terms of coverage, the Next Generation OCX will be able to fly twice as many satellites, including both legacy equipment as well as GPS IIIF satellites. In terms of security, the modernized receivers host anti-jam capabilities and information assurance features.”
— Ellen Hall
Spirent Federal Systems

Bernard Gruber

“The latest GPS modernization program was envisioned in the 1990s and started with the U.S. Air Force awarding the Lockheed Martin Team a $1.4 billion contract in 2008 to build the GPS III space system. As part of the modernization effort the initial OCX contract award was given to Raytheon two years later, in 2010, while a series of development contracts have been awarded, primarily Inc 1 and Inc 2, for the Modernized GPS User Equipment (MGUE) programs to L3Harris, Raytheon and then Rockwell Collins. The improvements of OCX aligned to the space and user efforts and substantially increased security protection of this world asset. Specifically, OCX controls all legacy satellites (GPS II) and civil signals (L1 C/A) and military signals (L1P(Y), L2P(Y)). It also controls the new modernized civil signal (L2C) and the aviation safety-of-flight signal (L5). Moreover, it also will have control functions for the MGUE signals (L1M and L2M (M-Code)), and the globally compatible signal (L1C). The next Block IIIF will finally upgrade capabilities to synchronize the entire system to include a worldwide network of dedicated monitoring stations, ground antennas and backup capabilities.”
— Bernard Gruber
Northrop Grumman