Month: July 2021

Software is everywhere, including almost every piece of gear our warfighters operate and rely on, and it is constantly changing, as technology advances and new requirements emerge. Gnostech’s longstanding challenge has been to provide rapid availability, reliability, code quality and security while these requirements are constantly evolving. Gnostech developers have consistently risen to the occasion and solved the warfighter’s software challenges for the past 40 years.

As far back as our Global Positioning System (GPS) roots, Gnostech was already providing software development services. We’ve seen the evolution of Department of Defense (DoD) established software development standards, and we adapted quickly to stay ahead of emerging software approaches, tools, and industry best practices. Today, our corporate software development facilities and infrastructure meet Development Security Operations (DevSecOps) criteria and use tools that allow Gnostech software engineers and developers to write code in an Agile development environment.

Over the years, Gnostech engineers have developed tailored solutions for a variety of applications, including cybersecurity, mission planning, combat systems, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems. This longevity stems from our ability to identify critical functional requirements and quickly develop solutions to provide the warfighter with increased operational capabilities. Gnostech identifies small pain points in programs—splinters. The little things day in and day out that cause user issues and aggravation. Gnostech has always recognized that we have the ability to painlessly remove splinters and cause great relief to these programs through our niche solutions.

Here is just one of our success stories… We’ve been alleviating pain points with our software and hardware solutions for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Strike Planning and Execution Program Office (PMA-281) since 1997. One such example is the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) Simplified Installation and Maintenance (J-SIM) solution that Gnostech prototyped in 2003. J-SIM significantly reduces the complexity and time required to load a JMPS Mission Planning Environment (MPE). Prior to J-SIM, the loading process was manual and took approximately 5 hours to perform. J-SIM automates the process and reduces it to one hour. Since being adopted as the JMPS program’s automated software loading solution, Gnostech created dozens of J-SIM builds for both domestic and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Gnostech also developed the J-SIM Domain Integration Tools to automate the integration of the JMPS clients into the Integrated Shipboard Network System (ISNS)/Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) shipboard networks.

We’re proud of our software solution successes and will continue to develop those niche solutions that most benefit our warfighters. If you’d like to learn more, please visit Gnostech’s solution page.

Gnostech is excited to be turning 40 this year, and we’re extremely proud of our legacy providing engineering services and solutions for the warfighter. Today, we’re looking back at how our company started and honoring past team accomplishments, in order to gain a better understanding of our origins and to inform the continued evolution of our capabilities in order to meet tomorrow’s requirements.

We initially provided GPS simulation and software development support to the U.S. Navy, specifically the former Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, PA. Our first prime contract was awarded in 1982 providing GPS development support to the U.S. Navy, as well as designing and fabricating specialized monitoring and measurement instrumentation for the commercial manufacturing sector.

Additionally, Gnostech provided engineering expertise for the GPS Directorate (GPSD) from the beginning – before the current generator of satellites launched into orbit. We participated in the development of the design of signal spectrums and satellite data messages. Our engineers identified optimal design criteria and produced some of the earliest GPS products, including almanacs and Dilution of Precision (DOP) analyses for the early military users. Gnostech continued to grow in parallel with the program and worked with key pioneers of the program such as Colonel Bradford Parkinson and Dr. AJ Van Dierendonck to enhance and refine GPS capabilities such as Differential GPS (DGPS), Wide Area Augmented System (WAAS), the Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) and now Modernized GPS (M-Code, MNAV, CNAV, etc.). Over the years, we have had the privilege to work with multiple customers including the Air Force (746th Test Squadron Holloman Air Force Base (AFB), ESC Hanscom AFB, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Munitions Directorate Eglin AFB), U.S. Navy (Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC)), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and multiple Joint Programs.

Gnostech also developed a multitude of GPS mission modeling and analysis tools for the GPS Central Engineering Activity at Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific, including the Advanced Global Navigation Simulator (AGNS). AGNS is a modeling and Radio Frequency (RF) simulation tool that generates GPS navigation signals and models intentional or unintentional RF interference. AGNS software utilizes the flexibility and scalability of Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology, resulting in the ability to generate an all-in-view satellite constellation; allowing up to 192 simultaneous satellites and/or jamming signals. This modeling and simulation (M&S) tool is used to evaluate all Navy GPS systems before deployment in the Fleet.

As our capabilities have continued to expand to meet evolving requirements in the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) domain over the past four decades, it was the work with our first GPS customer that helped lay the foundation.