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USAF Review Faults Boeing GPS Effort

Aug. 24, 2006

The Air Force has delayed the launch of the first of Boeing’s new Global Positioning Satellite, the GPS IIF, and is taking a hard look at the company’s award fees, reports Reuters news service. USAF told Reuters that an independent review found problems ranging from system technical complexity to late deliveries by subcontractors and recommended a schedule delay of more than a year, slipping a January 2007 launch to May 2008. The Air Force notified Congress last week about the problems. The situation is bad news for Boeing, which has agreed to pay $615 million to settle misconduct claims, some space-related, and could fork over another $400 million if the Air Force confirms C-17 overcharges.

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