The Pentagon singled out the RTX company (formerly Raytheon) additional modification of the contract in the amount 45,3 a million dollars 2 April 2026 year, despite serious discussions about the future of the OCX program (Next Generation Operational Control System).
Funding details and current program status:
Allocation of funds: This is an "unrated change order" (unpriced change order) designed to support startups, testing and maintenance of GPS spacecraft, in particular, the SV-10 satellite, the launch of which is planned for the end of April 2026 year.
Validity period: The modification is designed for one year and allows you to continue critical operations, while final cost negotiations and a review of the entire program are ongoing.
Program problems: OCX has been under development for over 15 years (with 2010 year). The initial budget increased from 3,7 billion to about $7.6-8 billion, and the schedule delay is close to 10 years.
The future is in question: The US space force is considering a radical reduction or even termination of the Raytheon contract due to software defects discovered during government tests, which started in July last year.
Alternatives are possible:
Due to ongoing difficulties, the Pentagon is considering the option of transferring elements of the OCX software to a modernized version of the current ground system - Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP), to reduce dependence on the problematic project.
Source: https://spacenews.com