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Lockheed Martin Awarded GPS III
D Ninja writes "Yesterday, Lockheed Martin was awarded the $1.4 billion Air Force contract to build the next-generation global positioning satellite system. This occurred after a series of delays as the Air Force decided between Lockheed and the competing bidding contractor, Boeing Co. 'GPS III, will give new navigation warfare (NAVWAR) capabilities to shut off GPS service to a limited geographical location while providing GPS to US and allied forces. GPS III will offer significant improvements in navigation capabilities by improving interoperability and jam resistance. The procurement of the GPS III system is planned for multiple blocks, with the GPS IIIA portion currently underway. GPS IIIA includes all of the GPS IIF capability plus up to a ten-fold increase in signal power, a new civil signal compatible with the European Union's Galileo system, and a new spacecraft bus that will allow a growth path to future blocks.'"
Disclaimer: I did not RTFA.
Disclaimer II: I'm sharply anti-military.
Perhaps I've been in the computer industry for far too long, but how could it possibly cost 1.4bn to essentially add access control and a bigger amplifier to existing tech ? Will it realistically provide 1.4bn back in value, either by gaining efficiency in war planning, or enabling new civilian tech to make our lives easier ?
1.4bn might seem small to the average American bureaucrat, but it's a chunk of change that can change hundreds of thousands of lives if spent wisely. A GPS upgrade simply doesn't sound very humanitarian to me.
-Billco, Fnarg.com
Are you another one of those "nobody is as smart as I am" asshats that think they really know what's going on in the world. More unsubstantiated bullshit.
The US has not had their rear kicked, ever. Did we choose for political reasons, mostly because of people like you no doubt, in the last three wars to not kill every living thing in the country and destroy every structure, yep. Could we have, yep.
We could destroy the country of Iraq in a matter of days. We could destroy China in a matter of weeks. This is without nukes. Can you and the rest of the world stand to see 150 million Chinese stacked up like cord wood? Probably not.
Get a clue buddy. The rest of the world is so over matched by our armed forces there is nothing to discuss. Our government makes it seem like there is a legitimate threat so that we can continue to have the overwhelming superiority we enjoy.
Now, you are probably somewhat smarter than you come off as and a little less smart than you think you are. Take a step back, deep breath, concentrate. Question: No holds barred if the mission were to wipe every Iraqi citizen and building off the face of the earth, we would get "our asses kicked like in the last three wars."
Take your time, give it some thought.