The Northrop Grumman Corp. Global Positioning System Next Generation Ground Segment (GPS OCX) team recently completed the Standard Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI) software assessment, passing another significant milestone for the multi-billion dollar program and continuing Northrop Grumman’s enterprise-wide audit successes.
GPS OCX will revolutionize the operations concept for command and control of existing GPS II and future GPS III satellites. OCX will provide new GPS mission planning, constellation management, ground antenna, monitoring station and satellite command and control capabilities benefiting GPS users worldwide.
OCX will deliver a flexible architecture scalable to new missions, cutting-edge warfighting and civil net-centric capabilities and enhanced multi-level information assurance to address the growing cyber threat. None of these new mission capabilities is achievable with the current ground control system.
The government uses SCAMPI appraisals to identify strengths and weaknesses of software, engineering and management processes and to reveal acquisition development risk for corrective action. These appraisals are frequently used as part of a process improvement program or for rating prospective prime contractors and their key subcontractors. The US Air Force GPS Wing concluded a multi-week, comprehensive software appraisal, thoroughly examining more than 1000 documents and measuring them against hundreds of criteria.
“The Northrop Grumman GPS OCX team in recent weeks has marched steadily forward in achieving major milestones under a stringent and thorough back-to-basic acquisition process established by the Air Force customer,” said Steve Bergjans, GPS OCX vice president and program manager for Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman is one of the two teams currently under contract to perform systems engineering and integration; architecture design; communications and network engineering; information assurance and security; modeling and simulation; network management; software development; support, maintenance and implementation; and test and evaluation. The Air Force is expected next year to choose one company to continue the program through development, deployment and sustainment.