Lockheed Martin announced last week that the GPS III team it is leading had “successfully completed the Preliminary Design Review stage,” enabling the team to begin the Critical Design Review phase. Teaming with Lockheed on the next-generation Global Positioning System III satellite program is ITT and General Dynamics. “The quality of the PDR demonstrates the maturity of our design, our readiness to enter the next development phase, and the entire team’s dedication to keeping the GPS constellation strong,” said Dave Podlesney, Lockheed’s GPS III program director. A $3 billion development and production contract awarded in May 2008 calls for Lockheed to produce up to 12 GPS III Block A satellites (see above “No ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Here”) with projected first launch in 2014.
The Air Force plans to add external weapons pylons on the B-1B bomber, both to increase the number of aircraft that can test hypersonic missiles and expand the Lancer’s loadout as USAF transitions to the B-21 bomber.