BAE Systems lands $316 million contract

CEDAR RAPIDS — The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency has executed a $316 million contract option for BAE Systems’ advanced global positioning system modules, raising the contract funding to $641 million.

The modules provide positioning, navigation and timing for ground troops, vehicles, aircraft and precision munitions, United Kingdom-based BAE said in a news release.

The contract will ensure the availability of Common GPS Modules for advanced military GPS receivers with anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities.

Under the contract option executed in November, BAE Systems will manufacture CGMs for future ground, airborne and weapon GPS receivers for the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies.

The award builds on a May $325 million contract.

“Military operations require assured positioning, navigation and timing and our customers are shifting to M-Code (signaling) to harden their GPS systems against jamming and spoofing,” said Frank Zane, Navigation and Sensor Systems business development director at BAE Systems.

BAE Systems bought Collins Aerospace’s military GPS business unit in 2020.

Its under-construction $139 million classified defense aerospace facility, at 76th Avenue SW and Sixth Street SW in Cedar Rapids, is expected to be complete by September 2022. BAE Systems has been working in Collins Aerospace facilities.