BAE Systems, Inc. revealed its ultra-small MicroGRAM-M GPS receiver compatible with next-generation M-Code military GPS signals that are resistant to jamming and spoofing. About the size of a postage stamp, MicroGRAM-M is the world’s smallest, lightest, and most power-efficient M-Code embedded GPS receiver, according to the company. It provides assured positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for size-constrained and other micro-applications. It also boasts of having the industry’s lowest power consumption for an M-Code device.
The MicroGRAM-M has the same physical dimensions as its predecessor, enabling quick upgradability to M-Code and reduced system integration costs. At its core is a proven, tamper-proof M-Code Common GPS Module that encapsulates classified data and signal processing.
On BAE’s plans in terms of user communities, Jade Groen, BAE’s Director of Program Management for Ground Products, told a publication, “We’re already seeing pretty extensive interest [in those communities] and have our first units for this product out now. We’re moving into qualification testing at the end of this month, and we will be in full rate production with this product within the first two quarters of 2022, and customers taking delivery. We are start delivering to customers, right away in 2022.”
“The biggest difference between the [earlier] SAASM product and this M-Code product is that the SAASM product was soldered down. The M-Code product is pluggable. We think that that will make integration much easier for our customers, as they move this into their factory. Now, it does mean that they’re going to have a change going into Increment 1. But the beauty is that Increment 2 is already intended to be pluggable, so it should actually allow for better forward-fit in six years when Increment 2 is available.”
