The U.S. military is facing a potential shortage of GPS receivers due to delays in transitioning to the new M-code signal, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Arms exports are also depleting the stock of receiver cards, leading to a potential gap in availability.
The modernization of GPS involves developing ASIC chips for various military equipment, with final testing scheduled for next year. The Defense Logistics Agency ordered a bulk buy of the chips, but demand has spiked for GPS-enabled military equipment, and the only company that makes ASIC chips is phasing out production.
The Defense Department believes the bulk buy supplies will not last as long as previously estimated, and there are several potential delays to the GPS upgrade highlighted in the report, including efforts to launch new GPS satellites and deploy new ground stations.
