The Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base announced Friday that the fifth GPS Block IIR satellite has been completed and is scheduled to be launched from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. on Sept. 14. The satellite will join the operational first modernized IIR satellite that was launched last year, and will feature two new signals, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities for military use.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.