Pentagon scraps OCX GPS system after 16 years and $6.27 billion

After 16 years of development and $6 billion spent, the Pentagon has scrapped OCX, the future control system for GPS satellites. With war under way, the US military would rather repurpose its ageing software than become further embroiled in an industrial fiasco.

The Pentagon has made its decision, and it is final: the OCX programme, designed to transform the ground-control system for GPS satellites, has been cancelled. Awarded to Raytheon, now RTX, in 2010, the contract was due for delivery in 2016 at half its eventual cost.

A decade later, after 16 years in development and a staggering $6.27 billion bill, the system is so unstable that it has been deemed “insurmountable”. So, what went wrong?

OCX threatened existing GPS capabilities

This “next-generation” system was intended to unlock the advanced capabilities of GPS III satellites, including stronger anti-jamming protection and a more accurate civilian signal. Yet the latest testing uncovered critical shortcomings: according to Colonel Stephen Hobbs, integrating OCX endangered current GPS capabilities for both military and civilian users.

In practical terms, it could have corrupted worldwide timing data. That might have caused a complete blackout or sent missiles towards the wrong target. Rather than make the leap into the unknown, the US military has opted to retain its existing Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP) system, which dates back to the 1990s. While AEP has been hastily upgraded to maintain essential functions, the choice remains a clear admission of a major failure.

“It is important that we refine and update acquisition processes to prioritise rapid, incremental delivery of capability, rather than complex, all-or-nothing system deliveries,” said Tom Ainsworth, the Air Force’s acquisition executive, in a press release.

“The Department of War has made it clear that we need to deliver warfighting capability at a faster pace. We must continue to work with industry to meet the needs of our warfighters while focusing on delivering the right technology on schedule to strengthen our capabilities and sustain our space superiority,” he continued.

Our analysis

The announcement comes amid an explosive geopolitical backdrop. With the United States engaged in a direct conflict with Iran and global tensions at their peak, reliable GPS is a matter of survival.

To address immediate threats, the military now wants agility, frequent updates and tangible results. The main beneficiary of this change in direction is Lockheed Martin, which has just secured a $105 million contract to urgently modernise the current system.