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Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has selected Rockwell Collins to provide the Digital GPS Anti-Jam Receiver for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve F-16 fighter aircraft. The DIGAR is designed to prevent jamming of GPS signals, providing more reliable and electromagnetic radiation resistant navigation systems for aircraft. This procurement will mark the first time combat aircraft have been equipped with DIGAR.
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"As enemies continue to find new ways to affect the ability to navigate, the latest DIGAR will provide the highest level of protection available so our warfighters can execute missions with precision and accuracy," Troy Brunk, vice president and general manager, Communication, Navigation & Electronic Warfare Solutions for Rockwell Collins, said in a press release.
DIGAR can be installed without modification to existing flight programs or wiring, bringing upgrade costs and potential risks down, according to the company.
DIGAR is designed for use on many different fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft, including fighters, bombers, transport aircraft and some of the larger unmanned aerial vehicles.
GPS navigation is crucial for both military and civilian applications, providing geolocation services for navigation, mapping and guidance systems for missiles and bombs such as the standard Joint Standoff Attack Mission and other ground attack ordinance.
Some nations possess special jammers designed specifically to block or scramble GPS signals, which would render many systems useless or forced to revert to back-up guidance such as inertial navigation or laser guidance, which have their own vulnerabilities.
The Department of Defense has made large investments in protecting and hardening GPS assets, including the new series of GPS III satellites pending deployment that are designed to be highly resistant to enemy jamming efforts.
