Marillyn Hewson: Lockheed ‘Well Positioned’ to Compete for Air Force GPS III Follow-On Program

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson has said the company is confident about its bid for the U.S. Air Force’s GPS III follow-on program that seeks to build up to 22 GPS III satellites, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.

“We think we’re performing well on the ones that we’re producing today and for this follow-on I think we’re well positioned to compete,” Hewson, a 2018 Wash100 recipient, said Tuesday at a conference call with analysts.

She noted that the company has invested in the development of a modular design that could help Lockheed reduce costs and serve as a “low-risk approach” to pursuing the GPS IIIF program.

Lockheed announced April 17 that it delivered its proposal for the service’s GPS IIIF program and that its proposed GPS III platform will have a digital navigation payload, a laser retro-reflector array and a regional military protection capability.

The company is in full-production phase on the first 10 GPS III satellites under a previously awarded contract with the Air Force.