BAE Systems has successfully demonstrated M-Code signal tracking with an Increment 2 global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver powered by the company’s next-generation Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), the company announced on 28 October 2024.
The technological breakthrough is part of the Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 2 Miniature Serial Interface (MSI) programme, which is being conducted under a USD 247 million (EUR 228 million) contract received by BAE Systems in 2020 from US Space Force’s Space Systems Command.
“This development milestone validates that we have the core of our next-generation GNSS user equipment technology in place,” Luke Bishop, director of Navigation and Sensor Systems at BAE Systems, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “This capability is foundational to powering future generations of assured position, navigation, and timing (PNT) products for the US and its allies.”
Increment 2 is a significant leap forward in core signal processing capability and supports advanced signal processing, including support for additional satellite networks. The programme will develop and qualify a small form factor receiver for use in applications requiring low size, weight and power. This allows for easier integration into a wider range of platforms, such as battery-powered handheld receivers.
The development “builds upon the flexibility offered by BAE Systems’ current Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) and M-Code Increment 1 products”, the company stated, adding that it “provides more capability to outpace the threat, including field reprogramming and a flexible software configuration to meet mission needs”.
BAE Systems’ portfolio of M-Code GPS and anti-jam products provides flexible, efficient and reliable navigation and guidance solutions for airborne systems, precision munitions, handheld receivers and embedded applications.
Development of the Increment 2 MSI programme is conducted at the company’s facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
