Air Force researchers are exploring how to get overhead navigation signals in areas where the GPS constellation is limited due to terrain or an adversary’s denial efforts. To that end, the Air Force Research Lab awarded aerospace contractor ITT Excelis of McLean, Va., a $2.15 million contract to begin researching a small satellite navigation payload to augment the current GPS program, announced the company on Jan. 23. Excelis will conduct an 18-month study under the this project to identify ways to increase GPS affordability and sustainment through reduction of payload weight, size, and power, states the company’s release.
The Royal International Air Tattoo, one of the world’s biggest annual airshows, will permanently move from its longtime home of RAF Fairford, a longtime base for the U.S. Air Force, to a different military installation in the United Kingdom, its organizers announced Nov. 4.