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The U.S. Space Force is considering canceling the contract held by RTX (formerly Raytheon) to develop the GPS III ground control system, according to a report in Air & Space Forces Magazine.
GPS OCX, the Next-Generation Operational Control Segment, has long been beleagured by cost overruns and deadline delays. Established in 2010, the GPS OCX program was planned to begin operations in 2016. In 2010, Raytheon (now RTX) was contracted to develop a modernized ground control system to support the upcoming GPS Block III satellite constellation.
The first GPS III satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, launched in 2018. Eight more have followed, with the 10th satellite awaiting launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket within the next few months. With 32 GPS satellites on orbit, the Space Force is relying on the OCX software to utilize the advanced GPS III capabilities for jam-resistance and precise navigation.
In July 2025, RTX began a government-led testing phase, but the tests revealed software defects.
