► Lockheed Martin secures $105 Million U.S. Space Force contract to advance GPS ground control modernization

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Award will sustain and upgrade the Global Positioning System’s ground control segment, supporting billions of military and civilian users worldwide

DENVER, April 16, 2026 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has been awarded a contract worth up to $105 million by the U.S. Space Force to continue modernizing and sustaining the Global Positioning System (GPS) ground control network. This will support resilient positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services from the GPS constellation for military and civilian users.

The new contract expands on a decade of work under the Space Force’s Architecture Evolution Plan, during which Lockheed Martin has steadily modernized the GPS ground segment. Under the agreement, the company will support launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for GPS IIIF space vehicles. It will also enhance the capabilities and resiliency of the GPS enterprise for military and civilian users who rely on these spacecraft for critical warfighting operations, plus daily functions like transportation, banking or utilities.

“For more than ten years, Lockheed Martin has delivered and sustained operational GPS ground capability, evolving the system to provide resilient and mission-proven services that underpin daily warfighter operations,” said Christina Mancinelli, vice president of Global Communication & Navigation at Lockheed Martin. “Our continued work on the integrated GPS enterprise reflects an unwavering commitment to delivering reliable capability to the warfighter and to users around the world.”

These upgrades strengthen the end-to-end GPS enterprise, ensuring continuous service for national defense and commercial users. Launch capabilities provided under this contract will allow for more M-Code-enabled GPS IIIF space vehicles to be available on-orbit, increasing signal resiliency for military users.

In parallel, Lockheed Martin has completed production of all GPS III satellites, which provide eight-times greater resiliency and three-times higher accuracy than legacy spacecraft. The company is now focused on producing GPS IIIF satellites at its Denver, Colo. facility.

These next-generation spacecraft will transmit an anti-jam signal that is 63 times more powerful than earlier models, further expanding the GPS constellation’s performance for the nation’s warfighters and global customers.

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Classification
Region
North America
Analytical Domain
Operational
Primary Category / Secondary Categories
Weapons & Equipment / Logistics
Subcategory
New Weapon System
SALUTE Report
Size
Not specified
Activity
Lockheed Martin awarded a contract to modernize GPS ground control
Location
Denver
Unit
Lockheed Martin, U.S. Space Force
Time
April 16, 2026
Equipment
GPS ground control networkGPS IIIF space vehiclesGPS III satellites
Summary

Lockheed Martin was awarded a $105 million contract by the U.S. Space Force on April 16, 2026, to modernize the GPS ground control network in Denver. This contract aims to enhance the capabilities and resiliency of GPS services for military and civilian users, supporting critical operations. The upgrades will include the production of GPS IIIF satellites, which will provide improved signal resiliency and anti-jam capabilities.

Key Facts
  • Lockheed Martin awarded a $105 million contract by the U.S. Space Force.
  • The contract focuses on modernizing the GPS ground control segment.
  • The upgrades will enhance capabilities for military and civilian users.
  • Lockheed Martin has completed production of all GPS III satellites.
  • Next-generation GPS IIIF satellites will transmit a more powerful anti-jam signal.