Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
PROBABLE CAUSE: The U.S. Air Force has pinpointed the likely cause of the distorted signals coming from the latest Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite to reach orbit. The problem appears to be related to the interface for the L5 payload, which is demonstrating a new signal for civil GPS users. Launched on March 24, the Lockheed Martin-built GPS IIR-20(M) spacecraft was still in its checkout phase when the distortion was discovered, so there has been no affect on GPS users.
IED ASSESSMENTS: The U.S. Air Force is awarding a $58.5 million cost plus fixed fee contract to Wyle Laboratories, Inc,. of Huntsville, Ala., for data collection, interoperability assessments, research, analysis, and reliability test and engineering for the Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Interoperability Project.
The U.S. Army’s military deputy for budget says that despite economic pressures related to the global recession and the Obama administration’s shifting of spending priorities, he’s confident that Defense Secretary Robert Gates will restore modernization funding starting next year.
