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L-3 Communications announced that its Interstate Electronics Corporation (L-3 IEC) business successfully completed multiple test firings of its next-generation Military Code (M-code) GPS receiver technology. The milestone represents a significant breakthrough in GPS receiver modernization and validates the unit’s survivability and performance in extreme, guided munitions environments, according to the company.
L-3’s gun-hardened, next-generation M-code GPS receiver prototype was fired from a 155-mm howitzer and tracked the M-Prime signal from several modernized satellites to successful target impacts. This represents the first-ever use of the M-code GPS technology in a weapon system, and provides critical validation of the hardware and software performance in a projectile.
The successful test supports a Congressional mandate to implement M-code technology on all future and existing U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) platforms and their objectives for technical innovations capable of offsetting future threats. L-3’s new design presents a flexible hardware and software configuration for GPS integrators and is capable of tracking legacy and modernized signals. The receiver will be applicable on a variety of host platforms, including guided munitions, unmanned aerial systems, soldier systems and ground mobile systems.
“Our backward- and forward-compatible next-generation receiver provides a proven, low-cost solution for development programs as well as an upgrade option for current fielded systems,” said Todd Gautier, president of L-3’s Precision Engagement sector. “Our solution supports a seamless technology transition when M-code is fully operational and deployed, and the design meets long-term security and information assurance standards.”
Based in Anaheim, Calif., L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation has a long history in GPS receiver and translator-based products currently in use on multiple aircraft, missiles and precision-guided weapons. L-3 IEC also produces C4ISR hardware and software systems for military and government applications and has been a long-term supplier of critical navigation, test instrumentation and missile tracking systems for the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) weapon systems, including the Trident submarine.
