The US Space Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $514.4 million contract for GPS IIIF Space Vehicles 23 and 24, bringing the total number of next-generation GPS satellites on contract to 14. The GPS IIIF series will deliver 63 times greater anti-jamming capability than legacy satellites, encrypted M-Code signals for military users, and new search-and-rescue payloads for civilian first responders. The first GPS IIIF satellite is scheduled to launch in 2027, with production already underway at Lockheed Martin’s Denver facilities.

The Contract Award

The Acting Space Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Satellite Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing awarded the fifth GPS IIIF contract option valued at $514.4 million to Lockheed Martin for the procurement of Space Vehicles 23 and 24 . This procurement increases the total number of GPS IIIF satellites on contract to 14, building upon the 10 GPS III satellites currently in operation .

The award follows a series of production options exercised by Space Systems Command. The original GPS IIIF contract, awarded to Lockheed Martin in September 2018, covered the construction of up to 22 satellites, with SV11 and SV12 included in the initial commitment . Subsequent production options added SV13-14 in October 2020, SV15-17 in October 2021, and SV18-20 under a contract option valued at approximately $744 million .

“We are ensuring our warfighters and partners maintain a distinct tactical advantage, while continuing to provide the gold-standard service that billions of civilian users rely on every single day,” said Erin Carper, acting Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for Satellite Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing .

Why GPS IIIF Matters

The GPS IIIF satellites represent a substantial leap in capability over both legacy GPS satellites and the GPS III generation that preceded them. The most significant improvement is in anti-jamming capability: GPS IIIF satellites will provide 63 times greater resiliency than legacy satellites, according to Space Force and Lockheed Martin officials .

This enhanced resilience is achieved through a capability called Regional Military Protection, or RMP. RMP enables higher-power, regionally configurable GPS broadcasts that improve link margin for receivers operating under electronic attack . In practical terms, this means military forces operating in contested environments where adversaries attempt to jam GPS signals will have access to stronger, more reliable positioning data.

The satellites also expand the availability of encrypted M-Code signals. M-Code is a secure, anti-spoofing GPS signal designed for military users, and GPS IIIF satellites will carry the capability to broadcast it more widely and reliably . The ground segment upgrades currently underway are specifically designed to control and integrate these M-Code-enabled spacecraft .

Search and Rescue Payload for Civilian Benefit

Beyond military applications, GPS IIIF satellites will carry a search-and-rescue payload that provides enhanced capabilities for civilian emergency response. The payload will support distress alert detection and location with 100 percent continuous global coverage, reducing location uncertainty to less than 5 kilometers in support of 49 international partners .

This capability leverages major international collaboration with the Canadian Department of National Defense and other US government organizations, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and the US Coast Guard Office of Search and Rescue . For first responders navigating to emergencies in remote locations, the GPS IIIF search-and-rescue payload represents a meaningful improvement in the tools available to save lives.

Production Progress

Lockheed Martin has completed the “core mate” phase for GPS IIIF Space Vehicle 11, marking the satellite’s formal “birth” and a significant production milestone . SV11 is expected to become the first GPS IIIF satellite to launch.

The company has completed core mate for three GPS IIIF satellites: SV11, SV13, and SV14 . “Core mate of SV11 showcases the production momentum behind the next-generation GPS IIIF satellites as we continue to invest in advanced manufacturing,” said Christina Mancinelli, vice president of Global Communications & Navigation at Lockheed Martin. “With three GPS IIIF satellites past core mate, we’ve taken pivotal steps toward accelerating production, ensuring we’re delivering critical next-generation resiliency capabilities to the GPS constellation at the pace warfighters need to protect our nation” .

GPS IIIF satellites beginning with SV13 will be built on Lockheed Martin’s evolved LM2100 Combat Bus platform, which adds cyber-hardening and upgrades to spacecraft power, propulsion, and electronics . The platform also provides additional size, weight, and power capacity to accommodate future capability insertions, reflecting a design philosophy that anticipates evolving threats and mission requirements.

Ground Segment Modernization

The new satellites require corresponding upgrades to the ground systems that command and control them. In September 2026, Lockheed Martin received two US Space Force task orders worth approximately $114 million to modernize the GPS ground segment .

The larger award, a $96 million task order for the GPS IIIF Contingency Operations System, will upgrade the current ground architecture to control the GPS IIIF payload, enabling it to operate next-generation satellites . A second task order valued at $17.5 million launches the first phase of the Architecture Evolution Plan x86 program, a three-phase technology refresh of GPS ground hardware and software .

“Over the past decade, Lockheed Martin has consistently delivered and sustained operational GPS ground capability, evolving the system to meet the most demanding warfighter and commercial requirements,” Mancinelli said. “This follow-on work underscores our unwavering commitment to rapidly provide a reliable, secure GPS enterprise that serves America’s defense and everyday users around the globe” .

Launch Timeline

The first GPS IIIF satellite is scheduled to launch in May 2027, according to Space Force leaders . The initial satellites are assigned to launch on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, though the Space Force has the option to switch to SpaceX if Vulcan schedule issues persist .

The final GPS IIIF satellites are slated to reach orbit by 2037 at the latest, ensuring the GPS constellation remains capable of meeting military and civilian requirements for decades to come .

What This Means for Civilian Users

For the billions of civilian users who rely on GPS every day, the GPS IIIF program ensures the constellation continues to provide positioning, navigation, and timing services with improving accuracy and reliability. The satellites will broadcast all civil signals, including the interoperable L1C and L5 signals, at greater accuracy than previous generations .

The ground segment upgrades will maintain backward compatibility with existing GPS capabilities while adding support for the new IIIF spacecraft, meaning civilian GPS services will continue uninterrupted as the constellation transitions to the next generation . Transportation, finance, telecommunications, and utility infrastructure—all of which depend on GPS timing and positioning—will continue to receive the reliable service they have come to expect .

The continued investment in GPS IIIF reflects the Space Force’s recognition that GPS is not merely a military tool but a critical piece of global civilian infrastructure. As space becomes an increasingly contested domain, the modernization of the GPS constellation ensures that both warfighters and everyday users retain access to the positioning, navigation, and timing services they depend on.