Lockheed Martin Space, in a bid to reduce risks in the US Air Force GPS III Follow On satellite program, has awarded a $5.9 million contract to Frequency Electronics, for the qualification of FEI’s Digital Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (DRAFS). The contract’s intent is to qualify FEI’s DRAFS for potential use on the new GPS IIIF satellites, securing the industrial base for high-accuracy Global Positioning System atomic clocks.
To help the Air Force modernize its GPS satellite constellation with new technology and capabilities, Lockheed Martin Space designed and built the most powerful GPS satellite, GPS III. With 10 satellites under contract, in 2018, the Air Force selected Lockheed Martin to build up to 22 additional GPS IIIF satellites, adding new features and resiliency to the flexible satellite design. The Air Force began launching GPS III satellites in December 2018. Today, more than 4 billion users rely on GPS.
Frequency Electronics Inc. (FEI) is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of high precision timing, frequency control and synchronization products for space and terrestrial applications. The company’s products are used in satellite payloads and in other commercial, government and military systems including C4ISR and EW markets, missiles, UAVs, aircraft, GPS, secure radios, energy exploration and wireline and wireless communication networks. It has received over 100 awards of excellence for achievements in providing high performance electronic assemblies for over 150 space and DOD programs. The company invests significant resources in research and development to expand its capabilities and markets. It has two main subsidiaries/affiliates: FEI-Zyfer: The company provides GPS and secure timing (SAASM) capabilities for critical military and commercial applications and FEI-Elcom Tech: A company that provides sub-systems for the Electronic Warfare (EW) markets and added resources for state-of-the-art RF microwave products.
