The 50th Space Wing at Schriever AFB, Colo., on Thursday accepted two Global Positioning System ground element upgrades during a ceremony. “Today is the culmination of years of tireless effort between the GPS Directorate, 50th Space Wing, and our industry partners,” said Col. Wayne Monteith, 50th SW commander. The first upgrade involved the $1.1 billion Architectural Evolution Plan that has incrementally transformed the original GPS master control station into a modern, distributed architecture capable of supporting the newest GPS satellite configurations. The second upgrade, valued at $100 million, improved the command and control system for the 2nd Space Operations Squadron’s GPS Launch/Early Orbit, Anomaly Resolution, and Disposal Operations, or LADO, mission. These changes bolster the GPS ground element until the Air Force fields the next-generation operational control segment, known as OCX, in 2015. (Schriever release)
More than 20,000 Airmen and Guardians across the total force remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, as the deadline for the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve passed Dec. 2. Out of more than 500,000 total force members, 95.3 percent are at least partially vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, according to data…