The Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Production Corps achieved a major milestone on Sept 30 when the Global Positioning System (GPS) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) office received its first Military Code (M-Code) capable Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) order from Germany.
SMC is facilitating international access and availability of M-Code user equipment as directed by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of Defense to 58 authorized nations. Germany is expected to receive delivery of its first M-Code receiver in 2021. Additional foreign military sales of MGUE are being worked. Currently, SMC is engaged with several nations in bi-lateral M-Code prototyping, demonstration, and lead platform planning efforts. Under a multilateral agreement, MGUE ground-based receivers are on schedule to be loaned to approved partners for early integration and test in national weapons systems.
M-Code is an upgrade to the currently available GPS signals that provides enhanced secure positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) performance, anti-jam, and anti-spoofing to provide a more resilient PNT solution. It will improve interoperability with our defense partners’ equipment and operations while increasing navigation warfare effectiveness for allied operations.
SMC is the United States Space Force’s center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Providing MGUE to our allies is another example of SMC delivering vital capabilities to the warfighter and the world.