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Military lauds GPS receiver as Rockwell Collins hits 100,000 mark

Clay Jones, chairman, president and CEO of Rockwell Collins (right), and Tom Hobson, manager of Government Relations for Rockwell Collins (center), speak with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) at a ceremony celebrating the delivery of 100,000 Defense Advanced GPS Receivers (DAGR). Photo by John Thomas, fisheye.

The successful high-volume production of a complex new military GPS receiver by Rockwell Collins won praise from military spokesmen Tuesday.

The delivery of 100,000 Defense Advanced GPS Receivers, or DAGRs, was celebrated Dec. 13, 2006, in a ceremony including U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran and representatives of the U.S. Army and NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office.

The handheld devices are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to tell them their precise location, and are equipped on every new vehicle and weapons platform, U.S. Army GPS Wing Chief David Williamson said.

Williamson said the purchasing program was initially authorized at $500 million.

He said $376 million has so far been expended, and the government is in the process of expanding the purchase authorization to $900 million for the program.

The announcement drew a big "hooah!" of support from many of the Collins personnel present at the Cedar Rapids Marriott on Wednesday.

About 219 cross-functional Collins employees in Cedar Rapids and Coralville are involved in the DAGR program. Collins was awarded its first contract to supply the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver to the Army four years ago, Williamson said.

At one point, producing the DAGR "looked like a difficult science project," said Col. Wesley Ballenger, system program director for the NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office.

"There were many folks who thought we'd never see 10,000, let alone 100,000," Ballenger said. At about $1,700 per unit, the DAGR is about the same price as commercially available GPS receivers with the same GPS capabilities, Ballenger said. Ballenger said the DAGRs have saved lives by providing munitions with the ability to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy, avoiding non-combatants.

The ceremony also marked production of the 225,000th Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module by Rockwell Collins. The GPS-equipped devices are incorporated in GPS receivers to prevent them from being fooled by false GPS signals, among other things.

Story by Dave DeWitte, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Dec. 14, 2006. Reprinted with permission

Government Systems donation helps send race team to raise troop morale

Rockwell Collins Government Systems donated $1,000 toward the September/October 2006 Harlan Thompson Racing tour of U.S. military bases and hospitals within the European Theater.

Harlan Thompson Racing team members displayed their car, provided free lunch and dinner for troops, posed for pictures, and gave away free T-shirts and other items in an effort to build troop morale.

According to Mark Schmaltz, director of Marketing Operations, Rockwell Collins frequently makes donations like these to support U.S. troops and their families, both in the United States and abroad.

"Rockwell Collins is the largest defense contractor in the state of Iowa and it's important for us to give back to the men and women that defend our country and support our work and use our equipment," Schmaltz said.

As a Vietnam veteran, Harlan Thompson understands the need for raising the morale and spirits of military personnel. Thompson races primarily in Europe and Asia where his team has won 85 percent of all major races in which his cars have competed since 1981.

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Volume 12 Issue 1 A look ahead at FY'07 Getting healthy while you work Investing in your future Finding the right people A plan in action From Clay Jones Letters to the editor Contributors in this issue Across our company Beijing, China Cedar Rapids Decorah Enterprise-wide Manchester Melbourne United Kingdom Service anniversaries Retirees Facility spotlight		Across our company Military lauds GPS receiver as Rockwell Collins hits 100,000 mark Clay Jones, chairman, president and CEO of Rockwell Collins (right), and Tom Hobson, manager of Government Relations for Rockwell Collins (center), speak with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) at a ceremony celebrating the delivery of 100,000 Defense Advanced GPS Receivers (DAGR). Photo by John Thomas, fisheye. The successful high-volume production of a complex new military GPS receiver by Rockwell Collins won praise from military spokesmen Tuesday. The delivery of 100,000 Defense Advanced GPS Receivers, or DAGRs, was celebrated Dec. 13, 2006, in a ceremony including U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran and representatives of the U.S. Army and NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office. The handheld devices are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to tell them their precise location, and are equipped on every new vehicle and weapons platform, U.S. Army GPS Wing Chief David Williamson said. Williamson said the purchasing program was initially authorized at $500 million. He said $376 million has so far been expended, and the government is in the process of expanding the purchase authorization to $900 million for the program. The announcement drew a big "hooah!" of support from many of the Collins personnel present at the Cedar Rapids Marriott on Wednesday. About 219 cross-functional Collins employees in Cedar Rapids and Coralville are involved in the DAGR program. Collins was awarded its first contract to supply the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver to the Army four years ago, Williamson said. At one point, producing the DAGR "looked like a difficult science project," said Col. Wesley Ballenger, system program director for the NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office. "There were many folks who thought we'd never see 10,000, let alone 100,000," Ballenger said. At about $1,700 per unit, the DAGR is about the same price as commercially available GPS receivers with the same GPS capabilities, Ballenger said. Ballenger said the DAGRs have saved lives by providing munitions with the ability to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy, avoiding non-combatants. The ceremony also marked production of the 225,000th Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module by Rockwell Collins. The GPS-equipped devices are incorporated in GPS receivers to prevent them from being fooled by false GPS signals, among other things. Story by Dave DeWitte, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Dec. 14, 2006. Reprinted with permission Government Systems donation helps send race team to raise troop morale Rockwell Collins Government Systems donated $1,000 toward the September/October 2006 Harlan Thompson Racing tour of U.S. military bases and hospitals within the European Theater. Harlan Thompson Racing team members displayed their car, provided free lunch and dinner for troops, posed for pictures, and gave away free T-shirts and other items in an effort to build troop morale. According to Mark Schmaltz, director of Marketing Operations, Rockwell Collins frequently makes donations like these to support U.S. troops and their families, both in the United States and abroad. "Rockwell Collins is the largest defense contractor in the state of Iowa and it's important for us to give back to the men and women that defend our country and support our work and use our equipment," Schmaltz said. As a Vietnam veteran, Harlan Thompson understands the need for raising the morale and spirits of military personnel. Thompson races primarily in Europe and Asia where his team has won 85 percent of all major races in which his cars have competed since 1981.