Boeing to complete GPS tech demo for Navy

Boeing Co. has won a $153.5 million contract from the Navy to complete a technology demonstration of the high-integrity Global Positioning System.

The program is designed to use the Iridium low-Earth orbit satellite constellation to significantly improve performance over standard GPS, the Defense Department said when it announced the award July 18.

The program was established to investigate technologies and design solutions for shortening the time it takes to achieve first fix under dynamic conditions. First fix specifies the time required for a GPS receiver to get satellite signals and navigation data and calculate a position, known as a fix.

Boeing will perform the work at as many as 10 locations in the United States, with completion scheduled for 2011. The Naval Research Laboratory will oversee the project.

Boeing ranks No. 2 on Washington Technology's 2008 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.