Collins Aerospace headquarters. Photo: Liz Martin/The Gazette

Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies, received the Global Positioning Systems Directorate (GPS-D) security certification from the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (USAF SMC) for its Military Code (M-Code) Common GPS Module (CGM). Security certification validates compliance to the stringent Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) hardware and software security design specification. With security certification, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) can significantly expand MGUE receiver integration and testing locations supporting the operational deployment of M-Code.

Close to 800 Collins Aerospace M-Code receivers have been provided to weapons, surface, and airborne platform integrators for the MGUE program so far. The security certification achieved serves as the foundation for more than 10 M-Code products that are currently in prototype or full development status for ground, weapons, and airborne mission applications. The same security-certified CGM, re-used on all of these products, will help expedite the integration of M-Code into more platforms in the future. The security certification also allows Collins Aerospace’s CGM-based M-Code receivers to be eligible for export to U.S. allies through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

“This is a significant milestone, enabling Collins Aerospace to put the next generation of reliable, secure and assured GPS navigation in the hands of our warfighters to help them combat today’s modern threats,” said Troy Brunk, vice president and general manager, Communication, Navigation and Electronic Warfare Systems for Collins Aerospace.